The Chicago Cubs already promoted one of their top prospects in their farm system in pitcher Cade Horton this past week. But with Ian Happ dealing with an oblique injury, the Cubs are calling upon another one of their top young players from Triple-A Iowa.
Bruce Levine of 670 The Score reports that the Cubs are promoting Moisés Ballesteros from Triple-A, as Happ could be on the way onto the 10-day injured list due to his oblique issue. Ballesteros could make his way onto the Cubs' starting lineup for Tuesday's game against the Miami Marlins
Breaking News - The Cubs will call up C/ DH Moises Ballesterous from Triple A Iowa. He will likely be in the starting lineup tomorrow. Ian Happ to go on IL with oblique issue.
— Bruce Levine (@MLBBruceLevine) May 13, 2025
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Cubs to promote Moisés Ballesteros with Ian Happ heading to injured list
Happ has sat out the team's previous three games as of this writing due to the oblique injury. With Happ, who is slashing .269/.364/.381 while recording three home runs, 19 RBI, 29 runs, and 43 hits in 160 at-bats (39 games).
While losing Happ does hurt the Cubs' lineup, they are lucky that Ballesteros has been crushing it at Triple-A. The catcher and designated hitter is one of Chicago's shining young stars, as he won the organization's Minor League Player of the Year in the previous two seasons.
This season with Triple-A Iowa, Ballesteros has recorded a .368 batting average, a .420 on-base percentage, .522 slugging percentage, four home runs, 18 RBI, 19 runs, and 50 hits in 136 at-bats (34 games).
The Cubs have one of the top offenses in baseball this season, as they own a .771 OPS (third-best in majors) and 234 runs batted in (second-most in majors). With Happ out of the lineup, the Cubs have the luxury of calling up not just one of their top prospects, but one who ranks 61st in all of baseball, per MLB Pipeline.
If Ballesteros is in the lineup on Tuesday, he'll face off against Miami starting pitcher Valente Bellozo (0-2 record, 3.50 ERA).