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Cubs' Moises Ballesteros: To make Opening Day roster
Rotowire
Ballesteros was informed Friday that he will be on the Cubs' Opening Day roster, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports.
Ballesteros impressed in his MLB debut last season, slashing .298/.394/.474 across 66 plate appearances. The 22-year-old hasn't skipped a beat this spring, going 11-for-31 (.355) with two home runs, two doubles and eight RBI. Ballesteros has the inside track to begin the season as the Cubs' DH, but with fellow catchers Carson Kelly and Miguel Amaya on the team, opportunities behind the plate will likely be limited.
Ballesteros reported to spring camp Sunday, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
Ballesteros has officially joined the Cubs for spring camp after dealing with visa issues entering the United States. Just 22 years old, Ballesteros could compete for the Cubs' DH job after slashing .298/.394/.474 with two homers, 11 RBI and 12 runs across 66 plate appearances for the team in 2025.
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Cubs' Moises Ballesteros: Expected to report Saturday
Rotowire
Ballesteros (personal) is expected to report to spring camp Saturday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.
After working through visa issues that have delayed his entry into the United States, Ballesteros will finally be able to begin preparing for the regular season. The 22-year-old's poor defense will likely keep him from starting behind the plate with the Cubs, but after slashing .298/.394/.474 across 66 regular-season plate appearances last year, he could earn a job as Chicago's primary DH.
Cubs' Moises Ballesteros: Not expected back until next week
Rotowire
Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that Ballesteros (personal) isn't expected to report to camp until next weekend at the soonest, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
The Cubs are short on catching depth for the early part of camp, as Ballesteros and non-roster invitee Christian Bethancourt continue to work through visa issues that have delayed their arrival in the United States. A poor defender, Ballesteros likely won't be counted on to make frequent starts behind the plate with the Cubs in 2026, but he's an impact bat who could push his way into the everyday lineup as a designated hitter. Ballesteros didn't look overmatched in his first exposure to big-league pitching last season, slashing .298/.394/.474 with a 13.6 percent walk rate and 18.2 percent strikeout rate over his 66 regular-season plate appearances for Chicago.
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Cubs' Moises Ballesteros: Not at camp due to visa issue
Rotowire
Ballesteros has not arrived at spring training yet due to a visa issue, but manager Craig Counsell said he is "expected shortly," Sarah Barber of Sports Illustrated reports.
Ballesteros has yet to receive clearance to travel from his native Venezuela, but Counsell downplayed the issue and said he's not worried at this point about the delay. It's an important spring for the 22-year-old catching prospect, who debuted for the Cubs last season and posted an impressive .868 OPS across 20 games. Ballesteros is the favorite at this point to serve as the Cubs' top DH option in 2026, and he could mix in some behind the plate in relief of Carson Kelly and Miguel Amaya.
Ballesteros has a clearer path to the Cubs' starting DH job as a result of the trade that sent Owen Caissie to the Marlins for Edward Cabrera, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.
Ballesteros acquitted himself quite well in 66 major-league plate appearances during the 2025 regular season, slashing .298/.394/.474 with two homers. His 13.6 BB rate and 18.2 K rate were particularly encouraging for a player making his debut as a 21-year-old. Ballesteros might get pushed into the strong-side of a platoon with Matt Shaw, who lost his starting third base job when the Cubs signed Alex Bregman.
