Moises Ballesteros’ blasts are just the start, says Craig Counsell, who put him on Cubs' roster
MESA, Ariz. — Cubs manager Craig Counsell marveled at the power. There will be more where that came from, he said.
The topic was left-handed-hitting catcher Moises Ballesteros’ 441- and 423-foot homers against the Angels in a Cactus League game Tuesday at Sloan Park.
“Moises has shown more of the same of what he did last year in the short stint with us,” Counsell said. “He’s a gifted hitter, a natural hitter. I suggested to hitting coaches they stay away from him.”
That was said tongue-in-cheek, but there is something to that.
“I did have a meeting with the hitting coaches, called them all together at some point this spring and they got a little nervous,” Counsell said. “‘You guys should stay away from Ballesteros.’ Joking, you know, but they got the message.”
Counsell had a meeting with Ballesteros on Friday, assuring the 22-year-old he was on the team. He will be the Cubs’ primary designated hitter to start the season. Counsell “got a tip” that Ballesteros was “unnecessarily nervous” about it, “so I told him immediately before he sat down.”
“Moises has earned that opportunity,” Counsell said. “When you have a player who has options, you kind of have to beat down the door to get yourself in the lineup. You almost have to do a little more to get that opportunity.”
A natural hitter with easy power, Ballesteros pounded on the door with those two bombs in consecutive at-bats against the Angels. He was batting .355 with a 1.007 OPS in 31 Cactus League at-bats with two doubles to go with the home runs entering Friday.
“There are just some hitters … he’s so young and he does certain things and he’s going to improve,” Counsell said. “Someday, Moises will hit a lot of home runs. I don’t think it will be this year, but someday he’ll hit a lot of home runs. When you see balls hit like that, with his hitting gifts, as he gets more experience, learns pitchers and his swing, he’s capable of doing that.”
Making his debut in 2025, the prized Venezuelan with the 5-8, 215-pound frame batted .298/.394/.474 with two homers in his 22-game major-league debut. He made the playoff roster, going 0-for-3 as a pinch hitter.
“Right now, I’m working on timing,” Ballesteros told the Sun-Times. “And being selective, taking pitches and getting really good ones to hit. And staying healthy.”
Counsell and staffers were impressed with how Ballesteros drove pitches hard to all parts of the field last season.
“The power, the exit velocity indicate that the home runs will come,” Counsell said. “There are a lot of ingredients to like.”
He’s third on the catcher depth chart behind Miguel Amaya and Carson Kelly, but “it’s been fun watching him catch,” Counsell said. “Moises is a very instinctual baseball player. He understands the game, a product of probably catching a lot. That’s going to be a strength of his.”
Ballesteros, who is viewed around the league as a contender for National League Rookie of the Year, said he wants to win above anything else.
“I always say my goal is always to pass my numbers from last year,” Ballesteros said. “But I want to stay here until I win two championships. When I played in the playoffs last year, especially with the fans here … I saw the game differently in that situation.
“You need to win, and in the playoffs, you play for the team and you play for a winner. You don’t play for yourself. That’s what is really important at this level, and every player in here plays for each other, not for themselves.”