Chicago Cubs Prospects: Moises Ballesteros named a top ten catching prospect by MLB

Earlier this week MLB.com ranked their top ten RHP prospects and the Chicago Cubs had the number two player on that list with 2022 1st Rounder Cade Horton. 

Since then they’ve also released their list of the top LHP prospects and yet again a Cub made their way onto that list in the form of Jordan Wicks. 

Their most recent list was the top ten catchers in the minor leagues and Moises Ballesteros, our number five prospect in the organization, came in as the number eight catcher in all of baseball. 

Ballesteros has been a stud since he joined the Cubs as an IFA signing in 2021. In our write up we dove into why he’s so impressive and hit on his stats by saying:

Let’s go through some of the things he did last season. First of all, he played at three levels (finishing the year at AA Tennessee) at the age of 19, playing inarguably the toughest position on the diamond. He hit for average and got on base every step of the way, carrying an incredible .285/.375/.449 slash line. He hit for power to the tune of 41 extra-base hits in 494 plate appearances and he even managed to be a bit of a menace on the base paths posting a 100% success rate in seven steal attempts.

Ballesteros is the kind of player that you love to have in your system. He’s an offensive weapon and he’s not a defensive liability. Beyond that, he walked (63) nearly as often as he struck out (78). That level of pitch identification from a teenager in AA is unheard of, especially from a position as important as a catcher.

The difference between Ballesteros and Wicks or Horton is that Ballesteros likely won’t make an appearance at Wrigley Field this season meaning that he can rise even higher than the eighth-best catching prospect in the game on next year’s list. Ballesteros has the skills to legitimately be mentioned in the ranks of the top ten overall prospects in baseball before next season begins if he puts up another season like the one he did in 2023. 

If you're interested in checking out our take on the top prospects in the Chicago Cubs farm system going into the 2024 season here's everything you need:

Preseason #30-21

Preseason #20-11

Preseason #10-6

Preseason #5-1

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