Although the backup first base slot was never really necessary as a dedicated position on the depth chart, you do like to know who is available to fill in when Michael Busch needs a day off or if, heaven forbid, he suffers a real injury.
As camp began, you probably would’ve pointed to guys like Tyler Austin and Jonathon Long as the possible top back-ups, the former if it were a Busch day off against a tough lefty, and the latter if he were raking at Iowa and you needed a longer-term sub.
Then, as Spring Training is wont to do, the Cubs saw Austin get knee surgery and Long go down with an elbow injury within the space of just a few days.
That still isn’t to say there are dramatic worries about the position, which hopefully will not be needed all that often in any case if Michael Busch stays healthy and shows he can keep being the guy he was last year. Matt Shaw presumably could mix in at the spot if necessary, and Moises Ballesteros has played a little first base in the minors.
But if the Cubs want to develop contingency plans for your contingency plans, this is not a bad idea:
Cubs Miguel Amaya has been taking some infield at first base in case he is needed there. Amaya told me he played and practiced the position a lot in the minor leagues.
— Bruce Levine (@MLBBruceLevine) February 26, 2026Miguel Amaya has shown the ability to be a plus bat in the big leagues, and it’s not at all hard to imagine scenarios where you might need – or simply want – him in there at first base.
Consider that, even if Moises Ballesteros is not going to be getting regular starts behind the plate, his ability to catch could free up Craig Counsell to use Miguel Amaya at first base for a Busch breather or a tough match-up. Typically, you don’t like to deploy both of your catchers in the lineup at the same time, because if, say, Carson Kelly were to take a foul tip off his hand and have to leave the game, you lose some flexibility in having to move the other catcher over (especially if he were the DH and you lose that spot altogether), and you open up a little more risk if there were injuries to both guys in quick succession. But if you have available on your roster a third catcher, well, you can be more aggressive.
I don’t think the Cubs are aiming to have Ballesteros catch even as much as once per week, if I’m being honest, but he obviously CAN catch a game or a half of a game if it came to that. So, then, why not give Amaya some time at first base in case you want to coordinate his and Carson Kelly’s bats a little bit without always having to sit one when the other plays?
In the end, you hope that Tyler Austin’s knee recovery is swift and that Jonathan Long barely misses any time this spring. They might be the fill in first basemen anyway, but you’d like to have some clear, dedicated options available. Also: just keep Michael Busch healthy.
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