It may not be sexy, but this September call-up was a smart move by the Cubs

September roster expansions aren't what they used to be. Prior to 2019, any player on a team's 40-man could be called into September action once rosters expanded. But in recent years, that's been dramatically cut back to just 28 - adding two spots to the 26-man for the stretch run.

That naturally has led to fewer looks at top prospects late in the season, especially with an expanded postseason keeping more teams in contention right down to the very end. Clubs are less likely to see what they have with young guys when fighting for their respective playoff lives. Keeping all these things in mind, it was no surprise to see the Chicago Cubs add utilityman Miles Mastrobuoni to the mix over the weekend.

Mastrobuoni joined left-hander Jordan Wicks, who was brilliant in his return from the IL on Sunday, tossing five innings of one-run ball to lead the Cubs to a second consecutive series sweep. The versatility Mastrobuoni brings defensively is, by far, his most positive attribute because the bat leaves much to be desired.

During his latest stint at Triple-A Iowa, the 28-year-old batted just .167/.219/.178 - which is bad no matter how you slice it. So why would Jed Hoyer and Craig Counsell opt for Mastrobuoni over one of their promising young prospects - six of whom are knocking on the door at Iowa anyway?

There's no path for regular at-bats for a top Cubs prospect right now

Simple. The Cubs' offense is clicking (to put it mildly) and there is no clear path to regular playing times or at-bats right now for anyone joining the team. That's not a problem when it comes to Mastrobuoni who, as I said, is on the roster because of his defensive versatility. But you're not going to call up someone like Owen Caissie only to sit him on the bench and let him see one AB a week.

That's bad for his development - and adds little value for a Cubs ballclub that is pulling out all the stops in hopes of somehow making the postseason. Need an example of how bringing a talented young player up and not letting him play can go wrong? Just look at the rival St. Louis Cardinals and their handling of Jordan Walker.

Walker, a consensus top-10 prospect entering 2023, appeared in 117 games with St. Louis last season, putting up a solid 117 OPS+ in 465 trips to the plate. This year, the Cardinals have bounced him back and forth between Triple-A Memphis and the big league club and he's looked lost, batting just .195/.261/.305 (57 OPS+).

They're going to give him some runway now to close out the season, but it's hard to view the 2024 campaign as anything but a lost year in his potential development into a superstar - something the aging Cardinals desperately need. The Cubs were smart to avoid taking a similar path with Caissie, who is having a tremendous year in the minors, with an .840 OPS at Triple-A.

Perhaps we'll get a glimpse of him later in the month. But with the outfield locked down with Ian Happ, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cody Bellinger and Seiya Suzuki, it made little sense to force the issue with Caissie. Mastrobuoni adds a versatile presence off the bench without shaking up the day-to-day at a time when the Cubs are cruising.