Visa hurdles cleared, top prospect Moises Ballesteros finally joins Cubs camp, poised to make a significant impact this season.
The Chicago Cubs finally welcomed Moises Ballesteros to camp on Sunday morning.
After dealing with some visa issues over the past few weeks, it took the 22-year-old some time to report to the Cubs’ Spring Training complex. But Ballesteros has finally arrived a few days after the team’s first Spring Training game.
With Ballesteros just now showing up to Cubs camp, fans shouldn’t expect the young hitter to appear in any games in the next few days. Chicago is going to slowly ramp him up and get him ready for action.
“He had to be patient, I think that’s the biggest thing,” manager Craig Counsell told reporters. “And so now we’ve got to be a little patient here and give him some time to just run around for a bunch of days, swing the bat casually, and gradually increase the workload and swing volume. But he’s here. And it’s Feb. 22. So, we’ve got plenty of time.”
Despite the delay to camp, Ballesteros still has over one month to get ready for game action. The Cubs don’t kick off the regular season until March 26. That’s enough time for the coaching staff to work with him ahead of the season.
Ballesteros should still easily make the Cubs Opening Day roster. He is the top prospect in the organization and posted solid numbers in his first taste of the big leagues last year. The 22-year-old hit .298 with two home runs, two doubles, one triple, and 11 RBI across 66 plate appearances.
He also came on strong toward the end of the season. Ballesteros slashed .333/.435/.564 with two home runs, one double, one triple, five RBI, and seven walks across 14 September games.
With Kyle Tucker and Owen Caissie both gone, there is a clear path to consistent playing time for Ballesteros. To him, though, the mindset stays the same.
“I always try to keep the same mentality that I have to win my spot,” Ballesteros told reporters in Arizona through an interpreter. “I try not to get too comfortable and always strive to get more and work toward getting more and more.”
Ballesteros will no doubt see more at-bats than he did a season ago. He will likely draw the majority of starts at designated hitter against right-handed pitching. That could lead to three to five starts each week.
However, Counsell probably will not commit to him against left-handed pitching. He only saw four at-bats against left-handed pitching last year, and Matt Shaw should be the primary fill-in for Ballesteros when a southpaw is on the mound.
Still, Ballesteros should see upward of 350 at-bats this season. He will be a key part of this Cubs team and should hit in the middle of the order when he is in the lineup.