Much of the focus on Chicago Cubs prospects this season has centered around Matt Shaw. The rookie was the Opening Day third baseman before getting sent down to Triple-A Iowa to build confidence at the plate and tweak his swing mechanics.
However, Shaw’s Iowa teammate, Moisés Ballesteros, is making headlines for other reasons. The 21-year-old catcher and No. 4 prospect is dominating minor league pitching, with a .402 batting average, a 1.027 OPS, two home runs, and 10 walks to 12 strikeouts through his first 92 at-bats this season.
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Despite Ballesteros’ scorching hot numbers, manager Craig Counsell does not anticipate a call-up anytime soon.
Here is what Counsell told Marquee Sports Network about his prospect:
“I hope there’s not one for a while to be honest with you, because that means everything here is going really well,” Counsell added.
Iowa Cubs’ Moises Ballesteros (25) makes his way to third base on Friday, March 28, 2025, at Principal Park in Des Moines.Cody Scanlan/The Register/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Should Ballesteros maintain this streak, it will be hard not to give him Major League reps. However, the Cubs’ catching duo of Carson Kelly and Miguel Amaya has been one of the most pleasantly surprising developments of 2025 so far.
Kelly is batting .370 with a 1.1415 OPS, a 294 OPS+, and seven home runs over 16 games. He also has an impressive 15 walks to just five strikeouts. Kelly is likely due to come back to earth soon, but the 30-year-old is still making the most of his opportunities and could very well set some career highs.
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Amaya, who has played in one extra game, is batting .283 with a .796 OPS and a 123 OPS+. Both of these catchers have excelled defensively, too, and provided Counsell with a luxurious one-two punch.
It appears that Ballesteros will only make his MLB debut if either Kelly or Amaya gets hurt. This is an unfortunate potential outcome, but Chicago should be encouraged by its organizational catching depth.
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