Chicago Cubs prospect Moises Ballesteros has been one of the most productive Triple-A hitters to begin the 2025 season.
Going 5-for-7 with three RBI in Saturday’s doubleheader with the Iowa Cubs, Ballesteros extended his hitting streak to 13 games. He made hard contact all day, averaging a 92.9 mph exit velocity on six batted balls and peaking at 108.3 mph.
During the streak, Ballesteros has 25 hits across 58 plate appearances with seven walks and just three strikeouts. That’s raised his season-long slash line in 21 games in Triple-A to .405/.457/.571/1.029 to go along with six doubles, one triple, two home runs, 11 RBI and three stolen bases.
The 5-foot-8 lefty ranks near the top among qualified Triple-A hitters in several categories this season. He’s first in batting average (.405), second in on-base percentage (.457), ninth in slugging (.571), fifth in OPS (1.029) and sixth in wRC+ (174), Although his walk rate is a bit low at 8.5%, he’s only striking out 12.8% of the time.
Since signing with the Cubs as a 16-year-old free agent from Venezuela, Ballesteros has hit at every level. From Rookie Ball through Triple-A, he’s posted an OPS of .813 or higher in each of the previous three seasons, and he’s on pace to comfortably achieve that in 2025.
When it comes to a potential call-up to to the big leagues, there are a few things to consider with the No. 65 prospect, per MLB Pipeline. Ballesteros is just 21 years old with 89 games played at Triple-A, so the Cubs may want him to log more plate appearances before making an MLB debut.
They’ll also have to figure out when and where he can get opportunities to play. All of his minor league experience has come as a catcher, first baseman and designated hitter – spots that are well-accounted for in Chicago. The Cubs have rotated between Miguel Amaya and Carson Kelly at catcher this season, and both are off to strong starts. It’s always a plus to have catching depth over the course of 162 games, though there are some questions about Ballesteros’ defensive ability behind the plate.
The Cubs should also want first baseman Michael Busch in the lineup every day, and Ballesteros is on the short end for a first baseman at just 5-foot-8. There’s not much flexibility at designated hitter either. Seiya Suzuki has been one of the team’s best hitters, and his only other position is right field, which is manned by MVP candidate Kyle Tucker.