What can Cubs fans realistically expect from Moises Ballesteros this season?

Though they play different positions and bring vastly different approaches to the plate, it was somewhat telling that the Chicago Cubs were willing to part with Owen Caissie and not Moises Ballesteros in the Edward Cabrera trade.

Now, a lot of that likely comes down to the Miami Marlins' roster needs. Caissie should be a capable corner outfielder in the big leagues, whereas Ballesteros may be nothing more than a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency catcher and full-time designated hitter. It's not surprising that they preferred the power-hitting outfielder over the advanced-approach DH.

But the Cubs — a team that prides itself on strong defense and versatility from its reserve unit — have made it a point to keep Ballesteros around thanks to his special bat. With Caissie (and Kyle Tucker) out of the picture, the DH spot in the lineup is now wide open for the young slugger to run away with.

So, poised to receive regular MLB playing time for the first time in his career, can Ballesteros live up to expectations in 2026?

Moises Ballesteros won't have to shoulder heavy load in deep Cubs lineup

“There’s a lot of ways to use [Ballesteros],” MLB.com's Jordan Bastian reported Craig Counsell saying at this year's Cubs Convention. “His bat, he showed he can – at a young age – be a designated hitter. That bat is good enough to be a designated hitter. The catching thing, he’s going to catch more, for sure, this year. The offense and the left-handedness of the offense is something that we need.”

The only consensus top-100 prospect in the system through the early 2026 rankings, it's encouraging that Ballesteros has already earned the confidence of his manager. No one should expect him to see regular reps behind the plate or at first base, but if his bat is as good advertised, those do present avenues for the Cubs to get him more at-bats.

Across multiple MLB stints in 2025, the 22-year-old slugger hit .298/.394/.474 (143 wRC+) with five extra-base hits and an impressive 13.6% walk rate. That was really just a continuation of what he's been doing in the minor leagues over the past few years: lots of walks, few strikeouts, and occasional power.

He may not emerge as a 30-homer threat or annual 150 wRC+ machine, but he shouldn't have to on this team. Michael Busch, Seiya Suzuki, and Alex Bregman can provide a lot of thump in the middle of the lineup, while Nico Hoerner and Ian Happ serve their roles as on-base machines. More consistency from Pete Crow-Armstrong would also take some of the burden off Ballesteros' shoulders.

Still, if he's tasked with handling the DH spot with regularity, the top prospect will have to hit to earn his keep. He's probably not electric enough to garner a ton of Rookie of the Year votes, nor does he possess the well-rounded skill set to produce highlights outside the batter's box. What Ballesteros does bring to the table is the consistency and maturity of a 10-year veteran, and if his .435 OBP from September is anything to go by, an extremely high floor.