The Daily Briefing - Feb 24th: Mo Ballesteros Arrives Stateside, Ready to Earn His DH Spot
By Morgan Davis · Tue Feb 24 2026
Spring Training is officially underway in Arizona and Florida, and the prospect world is humming with activity. Here's what matters most in the minor league landscape heading into the regular season. Why it matters Moisés Ballesteros is not a typical prospect story. At 22 years old, he's already proven he can hit at the highest level, posting a .298/.394/.474 line across 20 games in his 2025 MLB debut—a genuinely elite slash for a teenager figuring out big league pitching. But his path to consistent playing time has never been straightforward. The Cubs have always known he could hit; the question has been where he'd hit. Now, after overcoming a logistical nightmare just to get to camp, Ballesteros is positioned to settle that question once and for all as Chicago's designated hitter, a role that seems tailor-made for his pure hitting ability. The timing of his arrival—finally reaching Sloan Park on Sunday after visa delays that had him stuck in Colombia for over a week, then Houston for the weekend—could have derailed his spring. Instead, manager Craig Counsell is taking a measured approach, letting Ballesteros ramp up gradually. This isn't panic mode. This is confidence baked in. The Cubs know what they have. Now they just need to give him the runway to show it. Key details Ballesteros' 2025 campaign tells the real story here. After earning his first call-up in May, he appeared in three separate stints with the Cubs before settling in during September when star outfielder Kyle Tucker landed on the injured list. That's when things got interesting. Over 14 September games, Ballesteros hit .333 with a .999 OPS, four extra-base hits, five RBIs and seven walks. He wasn't just productive—he was composed. Playing meaningful baseball during a playoff chase as a 21-year-old left-hander, he looked like he belonged. The stuff that jumps off the page: Ballesteros pulled an inside 94.6 mph fastball from Johan Oviedo on September 17 at PNC Park and sent it 409 feet into the right-field bleachers with a 112.8 mph exit velo. Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner watched it and laughed afterward. "The homer he hit in Pittsburgh was ridiculous," Hoerner said. That's the kind of power—raw, sudden, and not something scouts project to diminish—that makes evaluators believe there's more pop coming as Ballesteros matures. At Triple-A Iowa last season, Ballesteros hit .316/.385/.473 with 13 homers, 29 doubles, and a 67-strikeout performance across 114 games. Contact is his signature skill. Jim Bowden, former MLB executive, listed him as one of the top 20 rookies poised for impact in 2026, calling him "one of the most advanced hitters in this rookie class" with "above-average bat-to-ball skills" and the ability to "hit all types of pitches, including high velocity, sharp breaking balls and off-season offerings." But here's the wrinkle: Ballesteros is a below-average defender. His fielding grades at catcher and first base are underwhelming, and his frame—5-foot-8, listed at 215 pounds—doesn't scream natural first baseman. The Cubs have the depth at both positions ( Miguel Amaya and Carson Kelly behind the plate; Michael Busch at first) to afford keeping his glove as a secondary concern. The DH role, then, becomes the path of least resistance and greatest productivity. Expect a platoon against tough left-handed pitching, but the bulk of his at-bats should come as Chicago's primary designated hitter. 80Grade angle What's quietly brilliant about the Cubs' approach here is they're not overthinking it. They signed veteran Michael Conforto to a minor league deal. This gives them a low-risk fallback option if Ballesteros stumbles. But the messaging is clear: Ballesteros is the guy. Manager Craig Counsell said he'll get work behind the plate and at first this spring, "but he would be a reserve at those spots." The bat is what carried him this far, and the bat is what'll keep him in the lineup. Ballesteros told reporters via interpreter: "I always try to keep the same mentality—that I have to win my spot. I try not to get too comfortable and always strive to get better." That's the mentality of a player who understands his opportunity. After visa delays that could have thrown him off schedule, he's still locked in. If spring training goes according to plan Ballesteros should break camp on the Opening Day roster as the Cubs' primary DH, with occasional reps at catcher and first base. What's next Expect Ballesteros to ease into game action over the next week or so. Counsell mentioned he'll swing the bat "casually" for a handful of days before ramping up to full workload, similar to a typical early-spring schedule for position players. A Cactus League debut is likely within the next seven to ten days. The goal is simple: get enough at-bats before March 26 (Opening Day) to justify the role. Given Ballesteros' confidence and track record, that shouldn't be a problem. The real test begins in May, when the regular season grind starts and we find out if last September's performance was a preview or a one-month anomaly. --- Quick Hits Jaxon Wiggins is turning heads in his first big league camp. The Cubs' top pitching prospect, a 24-year-old right-hander, has been throwing "very professional" bullpen sessions and live batting practice, according to Craig Counsell. With a 2.19 ERA across three minor league levels last season and elite strikeout stuff, Wiggins is the kind of depth piece that could force his way into early-season consideration if injuries hit. Pitching coach Tommy Hottovy said: "For the year he had and where he's been trending, he's definitely in that group of guys we're going to keep our eye on." He's not expected to break camp, but he's positioned to be the first call if the rotation gets stretched thin. The Cubs' WBC departures create spring training opportunity. With Seiya Suzuki , Pete Crow-Armstrong , Matthew Boyd , and Alex Bregman among the eight Cubs heading to the World Baseball Classic, spring training suddenly becomes a playground for depth pieces and bubble players. Michael Conforto, Dylan Carlson , and Chas McCormick are all competing for the fourth outfield spot. Kevin Alcántara , the Cubs' No. 4 prospect, will get meaningful reps but is likely headed back to Triple-A to start the season despite a strong September cameo. Carson Kelly had a career year in 2025 and projects to share catching duties. The 31-year-old posted a 3.6 bWAR and hit .249/.333/.428 with 17 homers last season—his best performance in the majors. He'll form a catching tandem with Miguel Amaya, though Amaya has the higher ceiling and should get the bulk of starts as the season progresses. Ballesteros slots in as the third catcher, though his DH role will dominate his playing time. Pete Crow-Armstrong suffered a bruised knee but avoided serious injury. The Cubs' 23-year-old breakout star banged up his knee during a rundown against Boston in late February but is day-to-day. He remains in the lineup for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic and should be ready for Opening Day without setbacks. Stat of the Day Ballesteros posted a 143 wRC+ in his 2025 MLB debut across 66 plate appearances. For context, a 143 wRC+ means he was 43% better than league average at creating runs. Among all batters in baseball with at least 50 plate appearances last season, that ranked in the 85th percentile. He did this at 21 years old, in a part-time role, with minimal experience in the majors. What it means: Ballesteros isn't a prospect anymore—he's a hitter. The Cubs don't need to develop him. They need to deploy him. On the Radar Jefferson Rojas , Shortstop, Chicago Cubs The 22-year-old infielder hasn't generated the buzz of Ballesteros or even Wiggins, but he's quietly become one of the Cubs' most interesting depth pieces. Rojas, still young for his level, showed legitimate promise down the stretch of 2025 in the Cubs system and is on the non-roster invite list for spring training. While he's unlikely to make the Opening Day roster, a strong spring could earn him meaningful playing time in Triple-A and position him as a trade chip if the Cubs need mid-season upgrades. In a system suddenly thin on proven prospects after the Owen Caissie trade to Miami, Rojas represents the next wave of internal development.