Cubs prospect Moises Ballesteros can hit, and his defense behind plate keeps improving

GLENDALE, Ariz. — In assessing Moises Ballesteros’ hitting performance during his first three weeks in the Arizona Fall League, a veteran American League scout made a wise observation.

“He’s going to play in the big leagues in 2025,” the scout said. “The question is, where?’’

The question hinges on Ballesteros’ defense at catcher, and his recent improvement has raised hopes that he’ll remain behind the plate.

Those aspirations came into focus during an AFL game Oct. 25 at Grand Canyon University, where Ballesteros threw out three would-be base-stealers, including two in one inning.

While Ballesteros won’t be compared defensively to perennial major-league backup Corky Miller — who threw out five runners in an AFL game 23 years ago — the Cubs have a right to be more encouraged about the future of their catching than they did shortly after Willson Contreras left to sign with the Cardinals.

“Ballesteros’ skills have improved immensely behind the plate,” assistant general manager Jared Banner said. “He has committed himself to getting in good physical condition, and he’s adapted well to the one-knee stance. It’s a credit to his work ethic and desire to improve.”

The 5-8, 195-pound Ballesteros, who doesn’t turn 20 until Friday, was interested in hearing Banner’s assessment of his one-knee stance.

“Whether it’s the right or left knee down, it is giving me a better ability to move behind the plate and be more successful behind the plate,” Ballesteros said.

Ballesteros said the suggestion was made by the Cubs’ minor-league staff, and he has stayed with the stance, getting positive results and feeling comfortable.

The opportunity for Ballesteros and incumbent Miguel Amaya to become even better defensively could grow next spring. The Cubs hired Jerry Weinstein, a catching savant who spent the last 17 years as a catching coordinator and senior adviser in scouting and player development with the Rockies.

Weinstein’s videos and assessments on catching and strategy on his X account are exceptional teaching tools. Weinstein, who will turn 81 on Saturday, already has spoken to Amaya and Ballesteros.

“Jerry is one of the best minds in baseball,” Banner said. “Jerry will work with Moises as well as all our players and staff. We all have a lot to learn from his wisdom and experience.”

The fact that Ballesteros was willing to accept his catching stance illustrates his passion to improve and helped him emerge as the Cubs’ sixth-best prospect, according to Baseball America.

Ballesteros also has caught some of the organization’s top pitching prospects, reducing the familiarization process that Amaya also benefitted from before becoming a first-year major-league catcher in 2024.

“I’m young, but I have somewhat of a vision of how to handle the game, how to move the game, and having pitchers with this experience in the game has helped me improve in that area of my career,” said Ballesteros, a native of Venezuela. “And every time that I get to hang out or be around these guys, it’s just an opportunity for me to get better.”

Ballesteros has played in only 56 games at Triple-A Iowa, and he caught 595⅔ innings at Double-A Tennessee and Iowa last summer, so there’s still room for growth.

And if the Cubs acquire another catcher to share duties with Amaya, first base remains a possibility (albeit on a part-time basis after Michael Busch’s breakout rookie season). Ballesteros has made 34 starts at first the last two seasons to increase his versatility and see the game from a different angle, Banner said.

“That would be maybe another option for me to make it to the league, and that’ll be just another opportunity,” Ballesteros said. “But the position that I’m focusing on right now, that I’m spending my time working with, is behind the plate.”

At the plate, Ballesteros is showing no signs of wearing down after earning the Buck O’Neil Award as the organization’s minor-league player of the year for a second consecutive season.

After batting .289 with 24 doubles, 19 home runs, 78 RBI, a .354 on-base percentage and a .826 OPS at Tennessee and Iowa, Ballesteros is batting .373 with a 1.129 OPS in his first 11 games for Mesa in the AFL. That includes hitting home runs in three consecutive games.

Ballesteros employs a short yet distinct right front-leg kick that generates extra power when he’s in rhythm with his swing.

“That has been my leg kick my whole life,” Ballesteros said. “And that’s been my way of hitting. It’s my stance my whole life. And I’ve just been improving through the years.

“And it was like that before I started playing professional baseball. And it’s been working so far, and I’m just sticking to it.”

Shortly after Yan Gomes was released on June 21 and before Amaya batted .324 in July and August, Cubs zealots were yearning for Ballesteros, even though he didn’t get promoted to Iowa until mid-June after batting .299 with nine doubles, nine home runs and 43 RBI in 56 games at Tennessee.

But the Cubs wisely promoted Tomas Nido (before releasing him after a six-week stint) and later signed Christian Bethancourt to finish the season while Ballesteros cooled off before producing a .313/.348/.438 slash line in September at Iowa.

Ballesteros got a taste of the hype at the Cubs Convention last January but is smart enough to recognize that he needs to earn his next promotion.

“I understand that the team has a plan for me, and I’m not in a hurry to try to move up faster than what I should,” Ballesteros said.

“The team knows exactly the time that I need to take to move on to the next level, and I respect that time. I understand that time, and I also don’t want to rush it. I want to be preparing, I know the team will know the right time for me to go [to the majors].”