Cubs To Option Moisés Ballesteros

The Cubs will choice catcher/designated hitter Moisés Ballesteros to Triple-A Iowa at this time, as first indicated on the group’s transaction log at MLB.com. Michael Cerami of Bleacher Nation reviews that outfielder Justin Dean can be recalled in his place.

Ballesteros, 23, was a consensus prime prospect earlier than arriving within the majors. He torched Triple-A pitching as a 22-year-old in 2025 (.316/.385/.473) and saved that momentum rolling in his first 66 large league plate appearances late final yr (.298/.394/.474). “Mo Baller” raced out to a torrid begin to start his official rookie marketing campaign in 2026, hitting .387/.435/.710 by means of April 27, however his bat has tanked since.

Over Ballesteros’ previous 106 plate appearances, Ballesteros has slumped to a dismal .128/.217/.170 slash. He’s not placing out at an exorbitant stage (22.6%) and remains to be drawing walks at a powerful 10.4% clip, however Ballesteros has put 51% of his batted balls on the bottom and popped up 4 instances. He was sporting a 40.7% grounder price and didn’t pop up as soon as previous to this present droop.

The Cubs’ offensive woes lengthen effectively past Ballesteros’ abruptly frosty bat. Chicago ranks twenty sixth within the majors with solely 98 runs scored over the previous 30 days. Nico Hoerner, Dansby Swanson, Carson Kelly and Michael Conforto have struggled simply as a lot, if no more than Ballesteros in that point however can’t be despatched down attributable to their veteran standing. The Cubs will hope {that a} reset in Des Moines can get Ballesteros again on observe and again to the shape he confirmed by means of his first 130 large league plate appearances, relationship again to final season.

Past getting Ballesteros again on observe within the batter’s field, there are different potential growth points to contemplate. The Cubs have used the promising younger slugger at designated hitter 47 instances this season, in comparison with simply eight video games behind the plate. If the Cubs need Ballesteros to shoulder even a part-time load behind the dish in future seasons, it’d behoove them to get him extra common work on the place. A reset in Triple-A affords him that chance, too.

There are potential service time ramifications, although they’re not more likely to come into play. Ballesteros is presently 56 days shy of a full yr of service. So long as he’s again within the majors for eight complete weeks between now and season’s finish, he’ll nonetheless attain a full yr of service. It’s uncertain the Cubs plan to maintain Ballesteros within the minors till mid-to-late August, but when he struggles significantly in Iowa or incurs an damage there, it’s no less than attainable this demotion might push his path to free company again by a yr.

Dean, 29, can be making his Cubs debut each time he takes the sphere. Chicago claimed him off waivers from the Giants (who’d claimed him from the Dodgers) again in January. A former Seventeenth-round decide, Dean is a fleet-footed fourth outfield sort who attracts loads of walks however is gentle on energy and usually runs excessive strikeout charges.

Dean isn’t going to take over common DH work for Ballesteros and can most likely function a standard pinch-running/defensive alternative late in video games whereas backing up Ian Happ, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki within the outfield. With Ballesteros being despatched down, 22-year-old Pedro Ramirez might see an uptick in enjoying time. The Cubs might additionally look to present Conforto extra frequent at-bats, hoping that constant enjoying time will assist him development towards the .345/.456/.655 line he posted  in 68 plate appearances by means of mid-Might.