2 Cubs prospects wowed in the Arizona Fall League - and 1 of them looks like a star

If you're looking for a glass-half-full outlook on the Chicago Cubs' decision to sit out the Juan Soto sweepstakes, perhaps this is it. With a big-league roster that's largely locked in and a number of position player prospects knocking on the door, it appears Jed Hoyer and the front office are trying to make sure there's runway for them to make the jump to Chicago at some point next season.

One player who got mentioned late this summer - and is continuing to force his way into the conversation is Moises Ballesteros. The heavy-hitting backstop followed up a solid regular season performance by putting the cherry on top in the Arizona Fall League, slashing .316/.376/.557 in 93 plate appearances.

Yes, the AFL is notoriously hitter-friendly, but Ballesteros showed at Double and Triple-A this year that the bat is going to play. He batted .289/.354/.471 with the Smokies and I-Cubs this season, even putting him on some radars as a potential September call-up. Chicago let him finish out the year at Iowa, but there's a solid chance we see him at Wrigley Field sooner rather than later.

The Cubs are trying to find ways to add around the margins this winter - and one of the ways they could find improved production from the roster in 2025 is through some of their top prospects. Chicago has an MLB-best eight top-100 prospects and six of them played at Triple-A this season. Getting them reps at the big-league level is the only way to see what they really have in these guys and Ballesteros' bat could force their hand if the offense struggles again early next year.

Ballesteros got a mention in an end-of-season Arizona Fall League write-up over at The Athletic (subscription required) - but he's not the only Cubs prospect who received high marks. Infielder Jonathon Long tore up AFL pitching to the tune of a .338/.425/.662 slash line, building on a strong showing at Double-A this year.

With Knoxville down the stretch, Long batted .340/.455/.528 - good for a more than 200-point jump over his OPS at High-A South Bend. His performance in the AFL offers hope that improvement was sustainable and the Cubs may have another up-and-coming talent making his way through the system.

Long, who rounds out MLB Pipeline's organizational Top 30 at #30, could leap up that list next year if he can follow up his breakout showing in Arizona with a strong start to the minor-league season. Given the depth the team has prospect-wise, though, he could be a nice add-on in a trade package for an established top-of-the-rotation arm, as well.