// Workers AI · dad joke modeIs Moisés Ballesteros a good sailor? He's a buoy-ant personality.
| Moisés Ballesteros | |
|---|---|
Ballesteros with the Iowa Cubs in 2025 | |
| Chicago Cubs – No. 25 | |
| Catcher / Designated hitter | |
| Born: November 8, 2003 Los Teques, Venezuela | |
Bats: Left Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| May 13, 2025, for the Chicago Cubs | |
| MLB statistics (through June 10, 2026) | |
| Batting average | .255 |
| Home runs | 8 |
| Runs batted in | 34 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
| |
Moisés Alejandro Ballesteros (born November 8, 2003) is a Venezuelan professional baseball catcher and designated hitter for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Career
[edit]Ballesteros signed with the Chicago Cubs as an international free agent on January 15, 2021.[1][2] He made his professional debut that year with the Dominican Summer League Cubs. He played 2022 with the rookie-level Arizona Complex League Cubs and Single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans.
Ballesteros played 2023 with Myrtle Beach, the High-A South Bend Cubs, and the Double-A Tennessee Smokies, and was named the Cubs' Minor League Player of the Year. In 117 appearances split between the three affiliates, he accumulated a .285/.375/.449 batting line with 14 home runs, 64 RBI, and seven stolen bases.[3] He returned to Tennessee to start the 2024 season and was promoted to the Triple-A Iowa Cubs during the season.[4][5][6] Ballesteros was named the Cubs' Minor League Player of the Year for the second consecutive season after hitting .289/.354/.471 with 19 home runs and 78 RBI in 124 appearances split between Tennessee and Iowa.[7] After the season, he played in the Arizona Fall League.[8][9]
Ballesteros was assigned to Triple-A Iowa to begin the 2025 season, hitting .368 with four home runs, 18 RBI, and three stolen bases over his first 34 games.[10] On May 13, 2025, Ballesteros was promoted to the major leagues for the first time, going 0-for-4 with four groundouts.[11] On May 16, Ballesteros recorded his first MLB hit and RBI against Yoendrys Gómez of the Chicago White Sox.[12] On September 13, Ballesteros hit his first career home run off of Tampa Bay Rays starter Drew Rasmussen; coincidentally, the ball landed in the same section that former Cub Anthony Rizzo was seated in.[13]
On April 27, 2026, Ballesteros hit his first career grand slam off of Randy Vásquez of the San Diego Padres.[14]
References
[edit]- ↑ Bastian, Jordan (September 12, 2024). "Ballesteros' stock rising after huge season". MLB.com. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
- ↑ Gonzales, Mark (November 4, 2024). "Cubs prospect Moises Ballesteros can hit, and his defense behind plate keeps improving". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
- ↑ "Cubs Announce Moises Ballesteros and Cade Horton as Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Year". MiLB.com. September 28, 2023. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ↑ Montemurro, Meghan (May 10, 2024). "Chicago Cubs farm report: Insights on 8 prospects who are off to a strong start to the minor-league season". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ↑ Rogers, Phil (June 28, 2024). "It's Getting Hard To Ignore Ballesteros In Cubs' Dilemma". Forbes. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
- ↑ Birch, Tommy (June 28, 2024). "'He's going to be a big-league catcher': Moises Ballesteros has a future in MLB with Cubs". The Des Moines Register. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
- ↑ Birch, Tommy (October 23, 2024). "Iowa Cubs Moises Ballesteros and Brandon Birdsell named Cubs Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Year". The Des Moines Register. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
- ↑ Reynolds, Michael (October 29, 2024). "Ballesteros hopes consistent power in Fall League leads to winter ball, spring camp". MLB.com. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
- ↑ Dykstra, Sam (October 14, 2024). "Ballesteros' AFL work behind plate translating into even better at-bats". MLB.com. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
- ↑ Bastian, Jordan (May 13, 2025). "Cubs call up Moisés Ballesteros, place Ian Happ on IL". MLB.com. Retrieved November 18, 2025.
- ↑ Montemurro, Meghan (May 14, 2025). "'He's always been a hitter': Chicago Cubs call up Moisés Ballesteros for MLB debut with Ian Happ on injured list". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved May 14, 2025.
- ↑ Bastian, Jordan (May 16, 2025). "Pete Crow-Armstrong has six RBIs in Cubs' win". MLB.com. Retrieved November 9, 2025.
- ↑ "Moises Ballesteros hits first MLB HR to Anthony Rizzo's section". ESPN.com. September 13, 2025. Retrieved December 28, 2025.
- ↑ "Cubs' Moises Ballesteros: Crushes grand slam in loss". cbssports.com. Retrieved June 19, 2026.
External links
[edit]- Career statistics from MLB · ESPN · Baseball Reference · Fangraphs · Baseball Reference (Minors) · Baseball Almanac
- 2003 births
- Living people
- Arizona Complex League Cubs players
- Chicago Cubs players
- Dominican Summer League Cubs players
- Iowa Cubs players
- Major League Baseball catchers
- Major League Baseball players from Venezuela
- Mesa Solar Sox players
- Myrtle Beach Pelicans players
- People from Los Teques
- South Bend Cubs players
- Tennessee Smokies players