CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs are planning to promote big-time prospect Moisés Ballesteros from Triple-A Iowa for Tuesday’s game at Wrigley Field, a team source confirmed to The Athletic, while outfielder Ian Happ is expected to go on the injured list with an oblique issue.
Ballesteros, 21, is a gifted left-handed hitter out of Venezuela who has consistently excelled in the minor leagues, even while being several years younger than the average age at multiple levels. He earned this chance with a red-hot start to the Triple-A season, batting .368 with a .942 OPS and 50 hits in 34 games.
Ballesteros was the organization’s minor league player of the year in 2023 and 2024, and he entered this season at No. 46 on Keith Law’s rankings of the sport’s top 100 prospects. The move to call up Ballesteros was first reported by Bruce Levine of 670 The Score and Marquee Sports Network.
Ballesteros’ primary defensive position is catcher, but the Cubs don’t need him behind the plate because Miguel Amaya and Carson Kelly have been an effective combination. Evaluators have questions about whether Ballesteros’ long-term future will be at catcher, or if he could play there part-time while rotating between first base and designated hitter. For now, though, the Cubs are hoping for instant offense.
The DH spot recently opened as the Cubs shuffled their lineup. Happ, a three-time Gold Glove winner in left field, has been sidelined for the last three games while dealing with an oblique injury. For the time being, that will likely shift Seiya Suzuki back to the outfield.
Justin Turner was signed to ideally be the primary DH. He has a long track record and immense postseason experience, but at the age of 40, he has struggled so far in a part-time role. Through 70 plate appearances, he does not yet have an extra-base hit.
That created an opportunity for Ballesteros, who wouldn’t be called up to sit on the bench. The Cubs will want him to keep playing and developing, which would presumably put him in Tuesday’s lineup against the Miami Marlins for his major-league debut.
(Photo of Moisés Ballesteros during a spring training game: Mark J. Rebilas / Imagn Images)