Third in the series. Today we look at the Cubs’ young DH/C/1B.
In previous episodes, we looked at the Cubs’ two catchers, Miguel Amaya and Carson Kelly, indulged in a little speculation, and had video of some of their exploits.
As we move on to the rest of the roster, it seems reasonable to look next at the Cubs’ left-handed DH, Moisés Ballesteros, who isn’t ready for prime time (and perhaps never will be) as a catcher, though the Cubs still continue to float the idea that he’s just a few reps away from competence.
A lot can be said about Ballesteros’ defensive deficiencies, but that tale has been told, and so we’re only saying this little bit — he has a career .985 fielding percentage. Baseball consensus also has it that he’s probably too short to make the scoop at first base, but I’m not really concerned about him playing defense for extended periods.
Because the real tale is about his bat, which is ready for prime time, and is why he’s in The Show. His bio has it that he’s 5’8”, 215, and he looks every bit of 215. He’s husky but he does tend to a bit of avoirdupois weight — however, he has shown a good bat path and quick hips which enable him to get around on any pitch with facility. He was clearly not overwhelmed at the plate in his rookie season, with a slash line of .298/.394/.474 lending credence to the idea that he could be a full-time or LH/Platoon Designated Hitter. Most predictives have him somewhere around .260/.330/.410, with 7-10 HR and 40-45 RBI. The SLG and power numbers look a little low to me but ‘ballpark’.
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I’m sure we’d all like it if he exceeded those numbers, and I’d give him a good chance. He’ll probably log a few innings at catcher in the spring. If he doesn’t, then we can probably abandon that part of the narrative. Likewise first base, where Tyler Austin and Jonathon Long offer preferable RH alternatives if the left-handed Busch isn’t going.
Austin is penciled in to back up both Ballesteros and Michael Busch, and will be the subject of our next profile.
