Chicago Cubs trade Joc Pederson to the Atlanta Braves, the 1st move in what could be a busy few weeks for the team

© Erin Hooley/Chicago Tribune Chicago Cubs left fielder Joc Pederson pulls into third base during a game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field on June 13, 2021.

And so it begins: The Chicago Cubs took their first steps as sellers ahead of the July 30 trade deadline.

The Cubs traded outfielder Joc Pederson to the Atlanta Braves in a deal Thursday night for minor-league first baseman Bryce Ball. The move ends Pederson’s half-season tenure with the organization after putting up a .230/.300/.418 line with 11 home runs, 11 doubles and 39 RBIs in 73 games.

Pederson was an obvious choice for team President Jed Hoyer to explore trading. The 29-year-old left-handed slugger essentially was on a one-year deal with a mutual option, creating an opportunity for the two sides to stay together if the pairing was productive.

But with Hoyer and the Cubs intent on retooling ahead of the trade deadline and into 2022, Pederson wasn’t a great fit moving forward. Pederson ideally would want the multiyear guaranteed deal he didn’t get this past offseason if he became a free agent while the Cubs can plug an internal option in left field or again look elsewhere after the season.

The Braves reportedly will take on Pederson’s remaining salary, roughly $2 million, and are responsible for the $2.5 million buyout for next season if both sides don’t pick up the option.

Ball, 23, was ranked Atlanta’s No. 12 prospect by MLB.com coming into the season while Baseball America rated him No. 18 in their system.

The 6-foot-6 Ball boasts prodigious raw power. In his first professional season in 2019, Ball hit .329 with a 1.023 OPS, 17 home runs and 18 doubles in 62 games between rookie league and Low A.

But after no minor-league season last year, Ball has not yet recaptured his debut season’s success. Through 53 games at High A, Ball’s slash line sits at .207/.354/.396 and six homers with a 27.8% strikeout rate, an increase of more than 8% from 2019, though his walk rate has conversely improved by the same rate.

Ball likely is two-plus years away from the majors, but he adds talent to the Cubs’ farm system with intriguing power.

The move also needs to be examined within the context of whatever other trades Hoyer pulls off before the July 30 deadline. Collectively, they will dictate the vision and direction the Cubs are taking.

The Pederson deal is merely the first domino to fall in what could be a tough two weeks for an organization that is trying to reset after underperforming the last few seasons.