Angels could target rising Cubs prospect in possible Reid Detmers trade

The Los Angeles Angels are expected to wheel and deal at the trade deadline, and one of their most valuable chips will be starting pitcher Reid Detmers. The southpaw is expected to be in high demand, and if the Angels play their cards right, the return could be gigantic.

One potential suitor for Detmers could be the Cubs. The Cubs are desperate for starting pitching as they gear up for the stretch run and look to stay afloat in the highly competitive NL Central. The two teams could be a match made in heaven. That's because Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic report that Los Angeles is targeting young catchers and suggest intriguing Cubs' prospect Owen Ayers as a potential option.

Ayers is Chicago's No. 3 prospect, who has taken off on a rocket ship this season, rising from Hi-A to Double-A and now recently being promoted to Triple-A. Across all three levels, he's slashed .322/.433/.618 with 22 homers through 84 games.

Angels' interest in Owen Ayers could spell the end of Logan O'Hoppe's tenure, but they'll need more to trade Reid Detmers

Logan O'Hoppe was once a promising young catcher and seemed to be the future when the Halos acquired him for Brandon Marsh in a 2022 deadline deal. O'Hoppe showed potential in 2023 and put together an exciting, if uneven, season in 2024, slashing .244/.303/.409 with 20 homers.

However, after a .213/.258/.371 line in 2025, O'Hoppe entered 2026 facing a potential make-or-break year. A bat-first catcher who doesn't hit is a huge issue, and O'Hoppe's ridiculous whiff issues have continued this year. O'Hoppe is hitting .213/.275/.300 with four homers as the whiff-fest has continued and his power has disappeared. With that, his leash has become incredibly short.

The writing is on the wall for O'Hoppe, so the interest in Ayers makes a ton of sense. But in negotiations for Detmers, Ayers should only be the start. The switch-hitting 25-year-old is intriguing, but he has a lot of the same red flags that O'Hoppe has. He is still raw as a defender, as he didn't begin catching full-time until his final season in college. He also has some similar strikeout tendencies. He's gone down via the K 24.2% of the time this season, which is worse than most of O'Hoppe's minor league campaigns.

Ayers has also been something of an unexpected gem. He was a 19th-round pick in the 2024 draft, and now he is suddenly one of the better prospects in the game. His rise is almost entirely based on his performance this year.

Acquiring Ayers could give Los Angeles an O'Hoppe replacement with the potential to become the power-hitting backstop they've been craving. But that's not enough. Detmers has two additional years of team control and high-end potential, making him one of the most valuable chips on the market.

Ayers could be the start of a deal, but the Cubs should have to pony up more in order to land Detmers. The good news is that Chicago has plenty of other intriguing prospects for the Halos to choose from, so it's likely that these two clubs can come to an agreement that makes both sides happy.

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