Hey, that headline is just facts. No shenanigans intended. Only accuracy.
MLB Pipeline has been unveiling its top-10 prospect lists at each position, and we’ve discussed the nod that Jaxon Wiggins got on the right-handed pitcher list. Two more Cubs prospects show up on a couple of the lists.
Moises Ballesteros is ranked as the 6th best catching prospect in baseball:
Here are the Top 10 catching prospects for 2026: t.co/VEXSoJmotz pic.twitter.com/9AhOsZ9qsH
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) January 15, 2026You know the prospecting story with Ballesteros by now. Were he a sure-fire big league catcher, not only would he probably be number two on that list, but he would be seen as one of the 10 or 20 best prospects in baseball. Unfortunately, it remains an enormous question whether Ballesteros could even emerge as a plausible part-time catcher, long-term, in the big leagues. It was clear last year when he was up that the Cubs did not want to use him behind the plate unless it were an emergency, and, without more time at Iowa to continue developing as a catcher, it’s possible he stays in that kind of emergency-only role on the big league roster this year while serving as the primary DH.
It’s the double-edged sword of Ballesteros being so advanced with the bat and obviously ready to contribute, while realistically not being where the Cubs would need him to be to catch big league pitchers regularly, calling games, managing the staff, etc. It’s not so much a knock on his potential to have become that guy; it’s a question of allocating his development and game-prep work right now. If he’s going to be the DH, then it’s pretty hard not to just ask him – a rookie – to focus on hitting.
From MLB Pipeline:
“Ballesteros has nothing left to prove offensively in the Minors, where he’s a career .289/.371/.457 hitter. His sweet left-handed swing and feel for the barrel enable him to make consistent contact to all fields. The final step will be to tone down his aggressiveness so he can improve the quality of his contact, launch balls in the air more regularly and realize his 20-homer potential.
Ballesteros is much heavier than his listed 195 pounds and limited in terms of athleticism and quickness, so he may not be able to remain behind the plate. He has soft hands and solid arm strength, but his receiving needs a lot of polish and his footwork and transfer could use more quickness. He allowed 92 steals and committed 10 errors and seven passed balls in 71 Triple-A games last year. The Cubs played him at catcher just once in his 20 big league appearances, and his short 5-foot-8 frame makes DH his only other realistic option.”
What you’d love to see happen is for Ballesteros to somehow have an opportunity to keep developing this year as a catcher, without harming (1) his offensive production or (2) the Cubs’ performance behind the plate. Then MAYBE he could be a part-time catcher option in 2027, pairing up with Miguel Amaya, if Carson Kelly departs in free agency. Is that realistic? Would Ballesteros even be the choice as back-up catcher during the season if one of Amaya or Kelly were injured? I’m just not sure.
Of course, with Owen Caissie traded, and with Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki both free agents after this season, it’s possible the DH spot is not only wide open for Ballesteros this year, but also for many years to come, depending on how they handle the outfield after 2026. Maybe we just accept the situation, and root for Ballesteros to explode so obscenely at the plate this year that you no longer care about whatever “value” has been lost by him not being able to catch.
Speaking of the future DH, corner outfield, and imperfect fit options, Jonathon Long came in as the 7th ranked first base prospect in baseball:
Do you think a 2026 Rookie of the Year could be a first baseman?More on the Top 10: t.co/LyAx9wBZsA pic.twitter.com/DkiNMtAz2a
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) January 16, 2026Long, the organization’s positional prospect of the year in 2025, is actually very similar to Ballesteros in a lot of ways. He’s an incredibly gifted hitter with good discipline and a line-drive stroke that is oriented a little more toward flat contact than huge power (but that power potential is clearly in there, especially with Long). He’s at the Triple-A/MLB border having demonstrated that he’s probably going to rake at Triple-A until he gets a chance to face tougher pitching and take the next developmental steps. And he’s a bit limited defensively in ways that don’t precisely fit the Cubs’ near-term needs outside of DH, where the Caissie trade helped him, too, but not as much as Ballesteros.
Where things differ for Long is that he absolutely can play a passable first base, and probably left field, too. Third base (where he has spent a fair bit of time) is more of a question, as would be right field (where he has not played a game yet). That leaves a pretty challenging situation near-term for Long and the Cubs (since Michael Busch is locked in at first base), as well as longer-term (where it’s not a lock that DH or left field will actually open up in the future for him). You still love having Jonathon Long in your organization and you still believe in the offensive potential, but 2026 might be a matter of seeing what happens on the big league roster as the season plays out.
As MLB Pipeline puts it:
“Long employs a patient approach at the plate, drawing a healthy amount of walks while making regular contact to all fields. His bat speed and strength allow him to hit the ball hard, but he won’t fully tap into his plus raw power until he learns to drive balls in air more often to his pull side. He produces too many groundballs and can get passive at times, though that hasn’t stopped him from being productive against lefties and righties.
While the Cubs have tried Long at third base and in left field, his below-average speed and fringy arm strength don’t make him suited for either position. He’s limited to first base, where he’s a decent defender. He doesn’t have much left to prove in the Minors but Chicago doesn’t have an obvious opening for him in its lineup.”
It’s always possible that a team with a first base need comes calling to try some kind of prospect swap, but Long only just turned 24 today (Happy Birthday!), and doesn’t have to go on the 40-man roster until after this season. In other words, if the Cubs really love Long’s bat, they may be content to keep him at Triple-A Iowa to open the year, and then bring him up in the even that there’s a multi-week need in a reserve role. It might not make for a glamorous year for him, personally, but it could wind up a stepping stone to something bigger in 2027 (at which point the Cubs might be glad they found a way to hang onto him at that MLB/Triple-A border for a year).
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