Chicago Cubs May Be Close To Calling Up Star Prospect

The Chicago Cubs may be getting close to calling up star catcher prospect Moises Ballesteros.

Mar 20, 2014; Mesa, AZ, USA; Chicago Cubs hats and mitts sit in the dugout against the Seattle Mariners at Cubs Park. The Mariners won 3-0. / Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Cubs are hoping to make a late-season run in the second half of the year. While they have almost no chance to get into the playoffs, there is still a small chance.

With that in mind, the Cubs have a chance to make some moves and see what exactly they have for the future.

That could lead the team to deciding to call up star catching prospect Moises Ballesteros.

MLB Trade Rumors hinted that Chicago could consider calling up Ballesteros. It would be a big-time move, but the catcher seems almost ready to play in the big leagues.

Tomas Nido is expected to miss the next four to six weeks due to surgery on his right meniscus. That could lead to the Cubs bringing up their star slugging prospect.

"Those are the only three backstops on the 40-man roster at the moment, so the Cubs will have only non-roster depth if someone else gets hurt while Nido is out. Moisés Ballesteros might be next in line, despite his lack of major league experience, as he’s considered one of the top 100 prospects in the league and is currently in Triple-A."

During the 2024 season at the Triple-A level, Ballesteros has played in 29 games. He has been batting .281/.328/.474 to go along with five home runs and 15 RBI.

Before being called up to the Triple-A level, Ballesteros played 56 games at Double-A. He hit nine home runs to go along with 43 RBI and batted .299/.372/.495.

Those numbers show a clear ability to hit at a high level. If he is called up, no one should expect those exact numbers, but he should be able to make an impact.

All season long, Chicago has gotten poor production from the catcher position at the plate. Ballesteros is the best offensive bat in the entire organization at the position. Bringing him up would make a ton of sense.

Calling him up would also give the Cubs a legitimate look at whether or not he's the long-term starter at catcher. If he plays well, Chicago will be set for the 2025 season. Should he struggle, they may go out and try to acquire a catcher in free agency or via the trade market.

Expect to see Ballesteros make his MLB debut at some point before the 2024 season ends. He is well worth a call-up for the Cubs and could take their offense to the next level.