One day too early? Cubs may have fumbled draft bonus with Owen Caissie call-up

While the circumstances weren't exactly how Chicago Cubs fans would have drawn it up, Owen Caissie is set to make his Major League debut on Thursday--assuming he does appear in the Cubs' game against the Toronto Blue Jays. Considering Caissie is from Canada, it would feel like an opportunity missed if he did not appear in Thursday's game.

As exciting as Caissie's debut will be, there are some roster questions that come along with his debut. Along with the roster question, the Cubs are also potentially losing out on an additional draft pick by promoting Caissie one day too soon.

If Caissie remains on the Major League roster for the remainder of the season, that will give him 46 days of service time. It may seem inconsequential, especially when all three of the Cubs' starting outfielders have been scuffling, but it does put the Cubs at risk of losing an additional draft pick.

A player is deemed a rookie if they have over 130 at-bats at the Major League level, or spend more than 45 total days on the Major League roster in a season. There are currently 46 days between now and the end of the season. If Caissie remains on the roster for that entire time, he would lose his rookie status ahead of the 2026 season. As such, Caissie would not be eligible for the prospect promotion incentive, where the Cubs would land an additional promotion if Caissie broke camp with the team next season and was a finalist for the National League's MVP or Rookie of the Year award.

Had the Cubs waited until Friday, Caissie would have fallen short of gaining his rookie status this season. Of course, Caissie being on the Major League roster now does give him eligibility for the Cubs' postseason roster.

Will Owen Caissie remain with the Major League roster for the rest of the season?

Short of Matt Shaw's debut at third base, the Cubs have demonstrated caution with their top prospects when making their Major League debut. With that in mind, it's difficult to project Caissie getting everyday plate appearances while Ian Happ, Pete Crow-Armstrong, and Kyle Tucker are all healthy. Of course, the Cubs could be inching closer to placing Tucker on the IL, considering his months-long slump and speculation around a thumb or knee injury.

However, a case can be made for the Cubs to find a way to get Caissie in the lineup as much as they can. Caissie has been one of the hottest hitting prospects in all of baseball since July, and could provide an Andrew Vaughn-type spark for a Cubs' offense that needs it. If that happens, the risk of losing an additional draft pick may not matter.

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