Michael Imus/ via Flickr.com

The depth on the Chicago Cub’s roster could force President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein to make some tough decisions prior to the trade deadline in late July.

Could slick-fielding utility man Javier Baez become the centerpiece of a Chicago Cubs pre-trade deadline move that adds reinforcements to a team that has underwhelmed for the majority of the season?

If the answer to the above question is yes, the Cubs should proceed with caution. Baez isn’t as expendable as some people want to believe.

Although purely speculative at this point, some trade rumors surrounding Baez and his teammates have gained enough steam to make it relevant enough for Cubs manager Joe Maddon to address the rumors at a recent press conference. Quote courtesy of Comcast SportsNet Chicago reporter Tony Andracki.

I just think the nature of our team, the young guys, you’re gonna hear that. If you’re gonna attempt to get pitching, you’re gonna hear the typical names mentioned. And just from our players’ perspective, I just would hope they won’t take it to heart too often.But if they hear it enough and they’re asked about that question often enough, of course it’s gonna leave a mark. But [Baez] is impactful. Listen, none of these guys that you like aren’t even nearly as good as they’re gonna be in a couple years. Just be patient. -Joe Maddon

According to conversations ESPN writer Jesse Rogers had with multiple executives around the MLB, Baez has more open-market value than displaced catcher Kyle Schwarber and scintillating rookie Ian Happ. If the Cubs are indeed looking to add cost-controlled starting pitching to bolster the starting rotation, as Epstein has suggested, then moving on from Baez via a trade may be the best avenue to put them in position to obtain what they covet.

At this point it’s all speculation. However, if the Cubs want to make a splash prior to the late-July trade deadline, they will need to pay up. You can’t obtain talent without giving talent away. Javier Baez is talented, that isn’t speculation.

However, his degree of expendability may be just as speculative as whether or not the Cubs will trade him this summer.

The prevailing consensus on why Baez has popped up in so much trade speculation is his perceived expendability. The Cubs have a loaded infield, and he has served as the utility guy for the better part of two seasons.

His natural position is shortstop, but with Addison Russell on the roster, Baez has only played this position in 34 games in the last two seasons. Since wrestling the position away from Starlin Castro in 2015, Russell has exclusively played shortstop, appearing at the position in all 189 of his regular season games during the last two seasons. Ben Zobrist, another utility player, also commands starts at second base and with Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant at the corner infield positions, there is simply not always a place for Baez to play.

However, these factors don’t necessarily equate to Baez being an expendable player. People like to talk about how Schwarber isn’t expendable because of the rarity of finding a left-handed bat with that much pop. This novelty argument can be applied to Baez’s game as well.

How many players in the MLB are versatile enough to play three infield positions at an elite level (second, shortstop, and third)? How many players can also play first base and have experience playing in the outfield as well?

How many players can combine this elite defense with budding offensive skills? Baez strikes out too frequently, but his batting average is solid and he has 15–25 home run potential. His plate discipline, and thus his strikeout rate, have improved every season in the MLB.

Plus, anything he provides at the plate is really just icing on the cake because of his plus fielding. Up to this point in his career, there has been a lot of icing, in the form of 105 RBIs, 31 homers, and that co-MVP award he earned from the National League Championship Series last fall.

Finally, Baez’s high standing with all those MLB executives should provide that initial hint of his irreplaceability. It’s unlikely that opposing teams would value a player this highly if he was just an expendable piece on another team.

If the Cubs trade Baez, they lose a lot. They lose their ability to absorb an injury to the infield in stride, as Baez can capably play all four infield positions should an injury situation arise. They lose a player that has consistently stepped up both offensively and defensively in the postseason; punctuated by his NLCS co-MVP award last season. They lose a player with a budding offensive game, that could develop into something special with a little more polish. After all, Baez is only 24 years old and is only likely to get better from here.

Maybe it’s all worth it if the Cubs receive the right player in return. However, to say that Baez is expendable strays from reality. Trading Baez leaves a gaping hole in the middle infield and on the Cubs depth chart, both of which will be difficult to fill. Trading a young player who is this talented is always going to be a risk. To say that he is expendable neglects careful consideration of all that he has provided to this Chicago Cubs team during his time with the club.

Plus, Bryzzo Souvenir Company can’t afford to lose one of its most valuable employees.

Paul Steeno spent 11 years pretending he was good at running. After hanging up the track spikes and officially becoming an elite hobby jogger, he decided to do something that he was actually good at: like writing about the Cubs. He is also a perpetually frustrated Chicago Bulls fan. This one time he got super lucky and ran 3:52 in the 1500-meter run.