Moisés Ballesteros Headed Back To Triple-A Iowa Cubs

After five games with the Chicago Cubs, Moisés Ballesteros will be optioned back down to Triple-A Iowa.

That was the plan all along, Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said Tuesday on the Mully and Haugh Show on 670 The Score. Left fielder Ian Happ (oblique) will be activated from the injured list ahead of Tuesday's 6:40 p.m. ET game in Miami, so there aren't many at-bats available for Ballesteros in the big leagues.

"He knew it was going to be a short stay," Hoyer said. "With Ian, we knew it wasn't going to be a long stay on the IL, we just couldn't play short-handed for that long and we wanted to exercise caution. So [Ballesteros] knew it was a short stay, and I think that's sometimes kind of a nice thing where even he had the greatest three or four days of his life, he was gonna go back to the minors. So it lets him relax and enjoy it and soak it in. Hopefully next time he comes up, that experience really benefits him."

Mo Baller is on the board!

Congrats on your first career Major League hit, Moisés Ballesteros. pic.twitter.com/BEVB31rjCP
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) May 16, 2025

With Happ back in the lineup, Seiya Suzuki will likely return to designated hitter, the spot where Ballesteros appeared in his first 18 major league plate appearances. There's very little flexibility with the outfield positions, secured by Happ, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kyle Tucker, who the Cubs would lke to have in the lineup every day.

Ballesteros has also played first base and catcher in the minor leagues, though he may not be ready to handle those positions from a defensive standpoint in the big leagues just yet. The Cubs also have first baseman Michael Busch and catchers Miguel Amaya and Carson Kelly, who've had productive seasons so far.

Ballesteros demotion does not mean the Cubs are giving up on him in the slightest; there's just not a path to everyday at-bats in the major leagues given the roster makeup. Hoyer spoke highly of Ballesteros, who's ranked No. 4 among Cubs prospects and No. 61 in the MLB Pipeline rankings.

"He can really hit," Hoyer said. "It's a fun bat. He's got power. He makes contact. Really pretty swing. He's a guy that's gonna have a lot of success in the big leagues. I think in a way, it's sort of a perfect way to get his feet wet."

After making his MLB debut on May 13, Ballesteros totaled three hits, three runs, three RBI, two walks and a strikeout across 18 plate appearances.

In 150 plate appearances in Triple-A this season, Ballesteros slashed .368/.420/.522/.942 with four home runs, 18 RBI, 12 walks and 16 strikeouts. It wouldn't be a surprise to see him back in the big leagues this season, and he should be a big part of the Cubs future.

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