Chicago Cubs Next Superstar Slugger is Already on the Roster

The Chicago Cubs will begin the 2026 season in just a few short weeks with Opening Day coming at the end of the month, and they'll do it with as much excitement in Wrigleyville as there has been in some time now.

After the flashiest offseason for the team in years, the new additions both to the pitching staff as well as the lineup are what move the needle among the fanbase. With that being said, for any team to take that championship-level next step, internal improvements are always going to be more important than any one free agent signing or trade.

For the Cubs, one player in their lineup looks poised to introduce himself to the MLB public with a breakout season, and his breakout might just be the biggest thing for this lineup.

Coming off an impressive late-season debut and now entering his official rookie season, this feels like a huge moment for young slugger Moisés Ballesteros and what he can do with the bat. He might just be the next homegrown superstar in the city of Chicago.

Cubs have next star hitting specialist in Moisés Ballesteros

Moises Ballesteros of Chicago Cubs in blue jersey and ha — Chicago Cubs designated hitter Moises Ballesteros | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Fans who follow the farm system from a casual sense were first really introduced to the young Venezuelan when he got off to a torrid start last year in Triple-A and was hitting over .400 through the first month of the season.

As the year went on, Ballesteros established himself as a legitimate power threat who was bound to make his big league debut in the 2025 season. Though it was a small sample size, the 22-year-old ultimately shone when he did get that chance, posting a 0.5 bWAR in just 20 games, with a slash line of .298/.394/.474, two home runs, and 11 RBI.

Coming off a year in which he slashed .316/.385/.473 in Triple-A, Ballesteros is one of the best pure hitting prospects to come through this farm system in some time now. His expected impact for this lineup is massive.

How Ballesteros fits into Cubs lineup this year

Moises Ballesteros of Chicago Cubs high fives teammates in dugou — Chicago Cubs designated hitter Moises Ballesteros | Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

The fit for Ballesteros — who is blocked at first base and does not have enough experience at catcher — is an interesting one as he figures to mostly play in the designated hitter role. Chicago does seem to be making an effort to get him reps this spring behind the dish, but ultimately, the presence of both Miguel Amaya and Carson Kelly makes him third on the depth chart there.

With Seiya Suzuki returning to the outfield, clearly the Cubs value the bat of the youngster enough to trust him as their DH. Of course, they want him to be able to play the field eventually, but they are not going to rush him along to make that happen.

Ballesteros is a bat-first prospect, and Chicago is going to get his bat into this lineup one way or another because he makes the team better. Chances are, he might just be one of the most important offensive players on the team this year.