It sure seems that Chicago Cubs prospect Moisés Ballesteros will be hitting at the major league level sooner rather than later. The big question is, where will he be playing?
As in, at what position?
But also, for which MLB franchise?
The No. 4 prospect in the Cubs system, Ballesteros is crushing the ball at Triple-A Iowa. Entering Friday’s game, Ballesteros is on an 11-game hit 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 boosted this year’s slash line to .377/.430/.558, with two home runs, six doubles, eight RBIs and three stolen bases. He has struck out 11 times while walking six.
All of which is to say, according to Mick Gillispie of the Cubs Baseball Channel podcast, Ballesteros is ready.
“He’s knocking on the door,” Gillispie said.
“When you see him going out there and putting up those kinds of numbers, I mean, those would be good softball numbers. And I know it’s a small sample size, but he’s just following up what he did last year, right? So if you can hit [.377] through [19] games at the Triple-A level, when you hit last year .290, and you 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?’”
But are the Cubs ready for Ballesteros, who was named the team’s Minor League Player of the Year in 2023 and 2024? Well, certainly they would welcome the left-handed swinger’s offensive skills.
“The Cubs could definitely use that in the major leagues right now,” Gillispie said.
However, there are only so many spots in the lineup, and finding one for Ballesteros within the current setup could prove difficult.
Moisés Ballesteros ‘Knocking on the Door’ of Callup to Major Leagues
Ballesteros was signed as a catcher for $1.2 million out of Venezuela as an international free agent in January 2021, but at 5-foot-8, 200 pounds, there are questions about his ability to succeed there at Major Leagues. Besides, the Cubs are pleased with the results they are getting out of the platoon of Miguel Amaya and Carson Kelly.
“It puts a lot of pressure on Miguel Maya and Carson Kelly, who have played, by the way, really, really good this year,” Gillispie said of Ballesteros knocking on the door.
The Cubs have considered moving him to first base, but his size again could prove detrimental at that position, and Michael Busch has earned the starting spot there. Designated hitter would seem to be an option, but Seiya Suzuki has gotten most of those at bats this season, and has done good things 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 said.
So perhaps, Gillispie opines, Ballesteros could be used as a trade chip.
MLB Analyst Warns Cubs Not to Consider Trading Moisés Ballesteros
There has been plenty of discussion since before the season even began about the Cubs’ need to boost the top end of its starting rotation. That discussion has only increased with the season-ending loss of Justin Steele, as well as the recent setback during rehab for Javier Assad.
Surely Ballesteros would be an enticing piece in a trade for someone like, say, Sandy Alcantara. But Gillispie warns the Cubs not to go 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 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 plays out, Gillispie said there is just one sure thing in the entire situation.
“This guy is coming,” Gillispie said.
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