The Cubs made a trade on the periphery of their 40-man roster Sunday, acquiring utility player Vidal Bruján from the Marlins for first baseman Matt Mervis and cash, the team announced.
The move will provide a change of scenery for a pair of 26-year-old players who were once highly touted prospects.
The Marlins designated Bruján for assignment last week. Showing off his defensive versatility, Bruján played every position but catcher last year. He accrued 248 at-bats, the most of his career, slashing .222/.303/.319.
It was his first season with the Marlins, traded from the Rays the year before. Bruján was a perennial Top 100 prospect from 2020 through 2022, when he exceeded rookie limits.
Mervis became a Cubs fan-favorite two years ago as he climbed from High-A to Triple-A, displaying the kind of power from the left side of the plate that created plenty of excitement around his impending debut.
Mervis cracked into the big-leagues on May 5, 2023. But he struggled, racking up 32 strikeouts in 99 plate appearances. His next time up, he had a shorter runway, appearing in nine games last season.
