The Cubs will select a catcher/designated hitter Moisés Ballesteros to Triple-A Iowa today, as first reported in the team’s log on MLB.com. Michael Cerami of Bleacher Nation reports that the outfielder Justin Dean he will be remembered in his place.
Ballesteros, 23, was a top prospect before reaching the majors. He torched Triple-A pitching as a 22-year-old in 2025 (.316/.385/.473) and kept that momentum going in his 66 big league plate appearances late last year (.298/.394/.474). “Mo Baller” got off to a rough start to begin his official rookie campaign in 2026, hitting .387/.435/.710 through April 27, but his bat has gotten stronger since then.
In Ballesteros’ past 106 plate appearances, Ballesteros has slashed to a miserable .128/.217/.170. He doesn’t strike out at a tremendous rate (22.6%) and still draws walks at a solid 10.4% clip, but Ballesteros has fielded 51% of his ground balls and struck out four times. He was shooting a low 40.7% rate and didn’t make a single appearance prior to this current slump.
The Cubs’ offensive woes extended beyond Ballesteros’s suddenly frosty bat. Chicago ranks 26th in the majors with just 98 runs over the past 30 days. Nico Hoerner, Dansby Swanson, Carson Kelly again Michael Conforto They struggled as much, if not more than Ballesteros at the time but they cannot be sent down due to their professional status. The Cubs will hope that the reset in Des Moines can get Ballesteros back on track and back to the form he showed in his first 130 major league plate appearances, dating back to last season.
Aside from getting Ballesteros back on track in the batter’s box, there are other potential development issues to consider. The Cubs have used the promising young slugger 47 times this season, compared to only eight games behind the plate. If the Cubs want Ballesteros to carry even a part-time job behind the plate in the coming seasons, they may need to find him regular work at the position. A reset in Triple-A gives him that possibility, too.
There is a possible service time arrangement, although it is unlikely to work. Ballesteros currently has 56 days left before a full year of service. As long as he returns to high school for a total of eight weeks between now and the end of the season, he will still reach a full year of service. It’s doubtful the Cubs plan to keep Ballesteros in the minors until mid-August, but if he struggles badly in Iowa or gets injured there, it’s at least possible that this demotion could push his way into free agency later in the year.
Dean, 29, will be making his Cubs debut whenever he takes the field. Chicago claimed he was off waivers from the Giants (who wanted him from the Dodgers) in January. A former 17th round pick, Dean is a walkable fourth baseman type who draws a lot of walks but has light power and often produces high strikeout rates.
Dean will not take over Ballesteros’ usual DH duties and will serve as a regular pinch/defensive switch late in games while serving as a backup. Ian Happ, Pete Crow-Armstrong again Seiya Suzuki in an outside area. As Ballesteros was demoted, the 22-year-old Pedro Ramirez can see uptick during play. The Cubs may look to give Conforto regular at-bats, hoping that consistent playing time will help him trend toward the .345/.456/.655 line he posted in 68 plate appearances in mid-May.
