I Just Want to Enjoy Moises Ballesteros Without All the Pressure ...Middle East

Do you ever feel like we haven’t really gotten a chance to fully appreciate Moises Ballesteros? This is a *21* year old kid who came up to the big leagues and, in the heat of a playoff race, while effectively replacing the Cubs’ star player (Kyle Tucker), slashed .298/.394/.474. Sure, it was over just 66 plate appearances, and he offers almost nothing besides his bat. But I mean … my GOD. That is a crazy-impressive performance.

There were only 10 younger players to even reach the big leagues last season, most of whom are the super tip-top prospects. Plus, Ballesteros did what he did convincingly, striking out only 18.2% of the time, while walking 13.6% of the time. He wasn’t without his flaws (hold that thought), but his ability to do what he did – at his age – is really something to celebrate, especially when it comes off the heels of similar performance up the ladder, each time at a similarly advanced age:

And yet, we haven’t really taken that beat. Not yet, anyway.

Let Me Enjoy Moises Ballesteros …

First, the playoffs (understandably) turned our attention away from Ballesteros’ initial run. And now, more to the point, we all have a weird feeling towards guaranteeing him immediate at-bats in 2026 because he’s been thrust into a bigger conversation about what the Cubs won’t do this offseason, ostensibly because of his presence (and that of Owen Caissie).

If Kyle Tucker is out of the picture, the Cubs sound ready to give Moisés Ballesteros and Owen Caissie the runway to develop at Wrigley Field. t.co/KDFOk9uws8

It’s accurate, perhaps, and justifiable, too. The Cubs do have a great opportunity to see what they have in both players in the absence of Kyle Tucker and one year before both Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki depart via free agency. But it also feels like such an unfair way to frame his upcoming season.

A player that young, with as much offensive upside, shouldn’t be counted on for anything. The priority should be his development. Worse, we’ve been forced to confront this on a somewhat accelerated timeline precisely because it seems the Cubs are uninterested in supplementing the offense otherwise.

Moises Ballesteros still has two option years. And his offensive ceiling, given what he’s done at every level, is substantial. He shouldn’t be put in a position detrimental to his development out of necessity. And who knows, maybe he won’t. The offseason is still very young and I’m not going to get impatient about what the Cubs might not do until at least after the Winter Meetings.

… And Let Him Develop at His Own Pace

But let’s not forget what Moises Ballesteros is: An extremely young prospect, who’s only just gotten a cup of coffee. Allow me to remind you that despite all of his success, Ballesteros was modestly fortunate in 2026. Despite his lack of speed, his .349 BABIP in MLB wasn’t entirely out of whack with some of the numbers he posted in the minors, but the way he got there looked a little different.

The league average barrel rate is 8.6%. The league average hard hit rate is 40.9%. The league average line drive rate is 19.7%. And the league average groundball rate is 41.8%. Moises Ballesteros has work to do. And that’s MORE THAN okay for a player his age.

I’m not – at all – opposed to him playing a significant role on the 2026 Chicago Cubs. In fact, I really hope he does, because I think he might just be a special player, able to make an impact in every game despite being a zero on the bases or in the field. But I don’t love that he’s being used as a reason NOT to do something else. We all want them to “play the young guys,” but opportunities always arise. The Cubs cannot refuse to address the offense because of a guy who turned 22 years old three weeks ago.

Moises Ballesteros has all the youth (and minor league options) he needs to continue on at his own pace, but he might not get that chance. And if/when he doesn’t hit right away, I fear that it could be detrimental to both his development and to the Cubs’ bottom-line in the standings, which remains of the utmost importance.

I don’t know. Maybe the Cubs front office is just legitimately HUGE believers in Ballesteros. That’s an exciting proposition all by itself, and makes me even more eager to see what he can do. I also know the game has been trending younger and younger every year, with more players making quick jumps to the big leagues after being drafted. I just hope the Cubs are being honest with themselves about the pace at which they bring Ballesteros along, doing what’s best for him and the team in the process, not what’s most convienent narratively and financially.

Hence then, the article about i just want to enjoy moises ballesteros without all the pressure was published today ( Wednesday 03/12/2025 - 02:17 AM ) and is available on Bleacher Nation ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.

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