Cubs Raise Some More Trade Suspicion By Reportedly Calling Up James Triantos

The Chicago Cubs are making a surprise move during their high-stakes second half of the season.

Baseball America's Geoff Pontes was the first to report on Thursday that prospect James Triantos is being called up for his Major League debut. The 23-year-old was the No. 51 pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, slowly rising the organizational ranks ever since.

Triantos is currently the No. 7 prospect in the Cubs' system, per MLB Pipeline. He has played in Iowa in each of the past two seasons, easily performing as one of their best and most versatile position players. This season alone, he has suited up at five different positions. While he's clocked the majority of his time at second and third base, Triantos has plenty of experience manning the corners.

Nevertheless, what has always stood out most about Triantos is his bat-to-ball skills. He is an excellent contact hitter who regularly creeps toward a .300 batting average. In Triple-A this year, Triantos has slashed .306/.344/.440 with a .784 OPS. He rarely strikes out with just an 11.6 K rate and currently leads Iowa with 107 hits over his 88 games played. Triantos is also behind only Ronny Simon for the International League lead in total hits this season.

Does Triantos offer much power? No, but he does feel like the kind of prospect who can step in and immediately fit into this solid Cubs offense. You don't want to make this move and sacrifice some of the improved consistency on that end.

So ... Why Does This News Mean?

Iowa Cubs' James Triantos (4) returns to the dugout during the season opener against Omaha on Friday, March 28, 2025, at Principal Park in Des Moines. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

We should have an answer soon enough, but there is no question that this kind of decision always leads to some immediate concerns. Has another injury occurred that we don't currently know about?

Of course, the hope is that this is not the case and the Cubs are simply giving their rookie a shot. Both Justin Dean and Kevin Alcantara have been relatively underwhelming. With that in mind, it doesn't feel like a bad idea to see if Triantos can offer a little more, especially as you start to think more and more about the postseason.

We also certainly can't rule out a possible showcasing for the Cubs. The MLB trade deadline is only weeks away, and Triantos is one of the best pure bats in their farm system. What could make him an even more attractive trade chip for opposing teams in a big deal? Getting a quick sampling of how he looks against big league pitchers.

If one thing is for sure, Triantos has started to feel more expendable. The Cubs signed Alex Bregman to a long-term deal, as well as locked Nico Hoerner into an extension. Finding the future playing time for Triantos isn't going to be easy. Sure, the Cubs could look to keep him around in case they lose either Ian Happ or Seiya Suzuki in the corners, but they've also started to turn Matt Shaw into an option there.

Again, the good news is we should know a lot more soon. But even if Triantos is coming up for an injury, don't forget about the looming trade deadline. He still feels like a name that will very much be on the table.

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