CHICAGO — Moisés Ballesteros waited for opportunities during the Cubs’ eight-game playoff run to the NLDS.

And, while they didn’t come too frequently, it doesn’t mean it was time poorly spent or that he was frustrated. Just being on a playoff roster, spending every day in that environment and picking the brains of a bench loaded with experience playing in October was as beneficial as the three hitless at-bats he had in the postseason.

Ballesteros could bounce around and talk to Justin Turner, the 40-year-old with 87 games and almost 400 plate appearances in the postseason, and ask him what he’d do to prepare for an at-bat with bases loaded in October. He could take a few steps and chat with Carlos Santana, who was on the taxi squad and played in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series about what it takes to handle that kind of pressure.

“Talking with the majority of the veterans – [it’s about] taking things calmly, taking good at-bats, taking good pitches,” Ballesteros said. “Keep with the plan of helping the team whenever you can and try to execute all the things that you can control.”

It’s a bit of a microcosm of what he learnt during his first season in the majors.

Ballesteros was called up in May, taking the roster spot of veteran outfielder Ian Happ, who landed on the IL. He was a top-100 prospect known for his hitting prowess, yet he went 3-for-16 (.188 AVG) in his first taste in the big leagues before being sent down. He came back up for one game before the trade deadline, going 1-for-2 with a three-run double in a 10-3 win at Milwaukee.

When he was recalled in September and thrust into more playing time because of Kyle Tucker’s calf injury, Ballesteros played with more freedom.

[MORE: How Kyle Tucker digests Cubs’ playoff loss, impending free agency]

The results spoke for themselves. In that 14-game stretch in September he was 13-for-39 (.333 AVG) with two home runs and a .999 OPS. That took him from just a September call-up to having a solidified spot on the playoff roster. He was Craig Counsell’s top choice off the bench as a left-handed hitting pinch-hitting option.

It was a learning moment and one that he learned applies to the postseason, too. Just maintain your routine and do what you can do. Don’t try to be anyone else.

That lesson could be crucial for Ballesteros entering next season. If Tucker doesn’t return in 2026 and without considering potential external additions, it’s certainly possible that Ballesteros could spend significant time as the team’s designated hitter next year.

Now, when he returns to that setting in the future with the Cubs, he hopes he’s not only more of a participant, but a key contributor. Those nearly two weeks of the playoffs will do that for you.

“Controlling the emotions,” Ballesteros said. “Control the things you can control and don’t try to do too much. When you want to do too much, things don’t pan out well.”