How can the Cubs fit Moises Ballesteros into ideal lineup after Ian Happ returns?

The time has finally come for Moises Ballesteros. After adjusting to become one of the best hitters in Triple-A at only 21, MLB Pipeline's #61 prospect forced the hand of the Chicago Cubs and earned a promotion to the big league squad. He even got the chance to start in his first game on Tuesday night. However, that spot only came at the cost of Ian Happ, who just hit the injured list with an oblique issue.

It's been a harsh reality for a while now that, despite being obviously ready for the big leagues with the bat, Ballesteros simply doesn't have an obvious position to play on the Cubs without someone being hurt. Though he may be a catching prospect, his chances to play would be minimal with both Carson Kelly (206 wRC+) and Miguel Amaya (126 wRC+) posting strong offensive seasons and being better equipped to handle the position. First base, meanwhile, is occupied by Michael Busch, who's also having a good 2025 so far and is a standout defender. DH is also typically off-limits thanks to Seiya Suzuki being one of the team's best hitters.

For now, he's got a minimum of seven days from Happ's IL stint to show that potential before the Cubs have to reckon with his lack of position. Given his track record, he might make that decision very hard, though. This year in Iowa, he's taken his game to a new level with a .368/.420/.522 slash line, a 150 wRC+, and a minuscule 10.7 percent strikeout rate. He's found a way to hit at every single level so far, and there's a lot of belief that he'll find a way to do the same in the majors.

His bat might be the jolt the Cubs need amid a slower May. After slashing a collective .263/.341/.451 between March and April, they've hit for a much more lackluster .219/.295/.406 in 12 games so far this month. The question then becomes, if Ballesteros simply hits too well to ignore, how can the team fit him into an ideal lineup with Happ around?

The most obvious, if not ideal, solution would be to consider moving Busch to third base temporarily. Though the lion's share of his time was spent at second base in the minors with the Dodgers, most of his defensive reps in 2023 came at the hot corner. Busch was also recently seen taking reps at third base, potentially in preparation for that possibility. Alas, it's best we shut that idea down right now, because, while a lineup that has Busch and Ballesteros in over than the collective black hole of Jon Berti, Nicky Lopez, or Justin Turner sounds much better, the Cubs' sole purpose for acquiring Busch was for first base. With fourth percentile arm strength, he's likely not going to make their third base defense woes any better, not to mention how his absence at first would be felt.

Moreover, Matt Shaw may not be far off from returning to the majors himself after getting back into a rhythm in Triple-A. Once he's back, all thoughts of anyone else manning third base should fade away, considering he's their best defensive option.

Cubs can't expect to get Moises Ballesteros in the everyday lineup

In reality, the only option in the majors would be to have Ballesteros on the bench as the go-to choice to spell other key players like Busch, Suzuki, the catchers, or any of the outfielders. That's not a bad role necessarily, especially if he's hitting well, but it's not ideal for his development. If he's going to establish himself at the big league level, he'll need a proper runway to face major league pitching. If he's not going to get that, the Cubs might prefer he continue getting consistent minor league reps and improve his catching.

Too many good players is a good problem to have, though, and Ballesteros will always be one of the team's first options when injuries strike. For now, just enjoy the thrill of one of the team's best-hitting prospects playing at Wrigley Field for the next week plus and hope that he finds a way to make the Cubs sweat when deciding what's next.