Moisés Ballesteros, a Chicago Cubs prospect, appears to be on the verge of making his major league debut. The big question is: where will he be playing?
As in, what position?
But also, which MLB franchise?
Ballesteros, the Cubs’ No. 4 prospect, is crushing the ball at Triple-A Iowa. Ballesteros enters Friday’s game on an 11-game hitting streak, with 20 hits in his last 43 at bats.
After hitting.281 with 10 home runs and 35 RBIs in 68 games for Iowa in the second half of the 2024 season, Ballesteros has improved his slash line this year to.377/.430/.558, with two home runs, six doubles, eight RBIs, and three stolen bases. He has 11 strikeouts and six walks.
All of this is to say that, according to Mick Gillispie of the Cubs Baseball Channel podcast, Ballesteros is prepared.
“He’s knocking on the door,” Gillispie said.
“When you see him out there putting up those kinds of numbers, I mean, those are good softball numbers. And I realize it’s a small sample size, but he’s just repeating what he did last year, right? So if you can hit [.377] through [19] games at the Triple-A level, when you hit. 290 last year and hit those 10 home runs, I think you’re saying, ‘Hey, how much of this do you want to waste in the minor leagues and how much of it do you want to have in the big leagues?'”
Are the Cubs prepared for Ballesteros, who was named the team’s Minor League Player of the Year in 2023 and 2024? They would certainly welcome the left-handed swinger’s offensive abilities.
“The Cubs could definitely use that in the major leagues right now,” according to Gillispie.
However, there are only so many spots in the lineup, and finding one for Ballesteros within the current setup may be difficult.
Moisés Ballesteros ‘Knocking on the Door’ of Callup to Major Leagues
Ballesteros was signed as an international free agent from Venezuela as a catcher for $1.2 million in January 2021, but his 5-foot-8, 200-pound frame raises concerns about his ability to succeed in the Major Leagues.
Furthermore, the Cubs are pleased with the performance of Miguel Amaya and Carson Kelly.
“It puts a lot of pressure on Miguel Maya and Carson Kelly, who have played really, really well this year,” Gillispie said of Ballesteros’ looming arrival.
The Cubs considered moving him to first base, but his size could be an issue there, and Michael Busch has earned the starting spot.
Designated hitter appears to be an option, but Seiya Suzuki has received the majority of those at bats this season and has done well with the opportunity.
“Finding a position for him to play has been a lot more difficult than him hitting, and there’s only a short amount of time now before he’ll be in the big leagues,” Gillispie told reporters.
So, Gillispie speculates, Ballesteros could be used as a trade chip.
MLB Analyst Warns Cubs Not to Consider Trading Moisés Ballesteros
The Cubs’ need to improve the top end of their starting rotation has been widely discussed since before the season began. That discussion has only grown since Justin Steele’s season-ending injury and Javier Assad’s recent setback in rehab.
Ballesteros would undoubtedly be an appealing trade target for someone like Sandy Alcantara. However, Gillispie warns the Cubs against going in that direction.
“The Cubs have the prospects to do it, but would you really want to trade this guy to the Marlins or some other team when you’ve got him under control?” Gillispie was stressed. “He’s an excellent hitter, and you know he has the potential to be someone that could, you know, be a real thorn in the side of any lineup that has to face him.”
But, no matter how it turns out, Gillispie believes there is one certainty in the entire situation.
“This guy is coming,” Gillispie said.
