Moisés Ballesteros getting plenty of opportunities in Chicago Cubs’ lineup — even as Seiya Suzuki nears return
Hitting coach Dustin Kelly can still remember the awe a then-18-year-old Moisés Ballesteros generated around the Chicago Cubs’ spring complex when he arrived in Arizona to join his first stateside affiliate squad for the 2022 season. Within his first two swings during live batting practice, Ballesteros drove a home run to dead center field. “Everybody’s like, who is that kid?
” Kelly told the Tribune. “He just has incredible rhythm and timing. And I think that’s what you notice first when he steps into the box, he’s just really comfortable, and he just has a movement and a flow to him that’s really confident.
” Ballesteros’ smooth swing and elite hit tool rocketed him through the Cubs’ farm system to join rare company when he made the opening day roster . Ballesteros, at 22 years and 138 days, became the youngest designated hitter to play for the Cubs on opening day. Only five players younger than him played on opening day for the Cubs since 1963: Addison Russell, Starlin Castro, Greg Maddux, Shawon Dunston and Ken Hubbs.
Although he’s had a slow start to the season, going 1-for-10 in the opening series against the Washington Nationals, the Cubs believe Ballesteros is poised for a big year. “As he matures and gets older, he’s going to open up that pull-side power, like we’ve seen guys like Pete (Crow-Armstrong) did last year, they start to just learn how to pull the ball properly, and he’s able to elevate it to the pull side you’re going to see a guy that can use all fields and hit home runs, which is really cool,” Kelly said. “We’re not saying, go hit a bunch of home runs, but the way that his natural arc works in his swing path, he’s going to drive the balls in the middle of the field.
” Sign up for our Cubs Insider newsletter When lauding Ballesteros’ natural hitting ability at one point during spring training, manager Craig Counsell recalled how, during camp, he called the Cubs’ hitting coaches together and jokingly told them to stay away from the rookie. “He’s so young, and he does a lot of things well, and he’s going to improve,” Counsell said. “I think someday Moisés will hit a lot of home runs.