Ballesteros, who turned 22 in November, made an immediate impact during his brief time in the majors last season. Over 20 games, he earned a place on both of the Cubs’ postseason rosters, solidifying his role as a go-to left-handed pinch hitter. This spring, Ballesteros’ bat has only continued to impress, leading to his inclusion in the Cubs’ 26-man roster for the season opener.<\/p>\n
![\"2026](\"https:\/\/platform.bleedcubbieblue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2026\/01\/gettyimages-2237969234.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0.0076324225309179,0,99.992367577469,100\")
<\/p>\n
\ud83d\udc47<\/p>\n
Ballesteros’ Breakout: From Pinch Hitter to Opening-Day Designated Hitter<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nManager Counsell expressed confidence in Ballesteros\u2019 ability to contribute significantly, particularly as the team\u2019s designated hitter (DH). He emphasized that Ballesteros has \u201cearned\u201d the opportunity, given his strong spring training and his performance last season. The Cubs\u2019 decision to include Ballesteros in the opening lineup is a testament to the young player\u2019s hard work and progress, especially when you consider the stiff competition for roster spots in spring training.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe has earned that, is the best way to say it,\u201d Counsell said. \u201cWhen you have a player that has options, and it\u2019s a young player you\u2019ve got to kind of beat down the door to get yourself in a lineup. And so Mois\u00e9s has earned that opportunity, and you\u2019ve almost got to do a little more to get that opportunity, and I think he has. He\u2019s shown us through a stint last year, through what he\u2019s continued to do this spring, that he deserves at-bats, and he\u2019s going to get some.\u201d<\/p>\n
Historical Significance: A Young DH on Opening Day<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nShould Ballesteros be in the starting lineup for Thursday\u2019s opener against the Washington Nationals, he will make history as the youngest player in Cubs history to DH in a season opener, according to team historian Ed Hartig. His achievement speaks volumes about his potential and the faith the organization has in him, especially given the challenges young players face in making a major league roster.<\/p>\n
Spring Training Performance: A Taste of What\u2019s to Come<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nBallesteros\u2019 performance in spring training has been nothing short of impressive. In 11 games leading up to Friday, he posted a .355 batting average (11-for-31), with two doubles, two home runs, eight RBIs, a .394 on-base percentage, and a 1.007 OPS. These numbers demonstrate his readiness to take on a more prominent role with the Cubs, particularly as the team\u2019s DH.<\/p>\n
Ballesteros’ ability to perform against major league pitching, coupled with his consistency in getting on base and driving in runs, makes him a valuable asset to the Cubs\u2019 offense this season.<\/p>\n
Roster Decisions Loom for the Cubs<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nWhile Ballesteros’ spot is secure, the Cubs still have some tough decisions to make regarding their final 26-man roster before Thursday\u2019s opener. A key question revolves around the status of right fielder Seiya Suzuki, who is dealing with a sprained PCL in his right knee. A decision on Suzuki\u2019s availability for the start of the season is expected by the end of the weekend, with the possibility that he may need to be placed on the injured list.<\/p>\n
Additionally, the final bullpen spot remains up for grabs. The Cubs recently optioned right-handed relievers Ethan Roberts and Gavin Hollowell to Triple-A Iowa, further narrowing down the options for the bullpen. One potential addition to the bullpen is right-hander Ben Brown, who has been preparing for a possible role in relief. Counsell confirmed that Brown\u2019s one-inning outing on Wednesday was part of his preparation for that possibility.<\/p>\n
![\"Moises](\"https:\/\/cst.brightspotcdn.com\/dims4\/default\/4e48ca2\/2147483647\/strip\/false\/crop\/4200x2363+0+0\/resize\/1200x675!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchorus-production-cst-web.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F16%2Fda%2F6e7f05004715b84894f8ad96ce74%2Fst26-ballesteros-03-m17.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Conclusion: Ballesteros Set to Make an Impact in 2026<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nMois\u00e9s Ballesteros\u2019 inclusion in the Cubs\u2019 opening-day roster marks the beginning of what could be an exciting chapter in his career. His strong spring training performance and consistent hitting make him a promising player to watch this season. As the Cubs continue to finalize their roster and make key decisions, Ballesteros\u2019 development will be one of the highlights of their 2026 season.<\/p>\n
Stay tuned to ESPN for more updates on the Cubs\u2019 roster and what to expect from Ballesteros in his first full season with the team.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MOIS\u00c9S BALLESTEROS EARNS SPOT ON CHICAGO CUBS’ OPENING-DAY ROSTER \ud83d\udea8BREAKING NEWS: Mois\u00e9s Ballesteros has officially secured a spot on the Chicago Cubs’ opening-day roster, a move that… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":167322,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-167260","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\n
\ud83d\udea8BREAKING NEWS: MOIS\u00c9S BALLESTEROS, 22, MAKES CHICAGO CUBS OPENING-DAY ROSTER: \u2018HE HAS EARNED THAT,\u2019 CRAIG COUNSELL SAYS! In a stunning move, the young talent has cracked the Cubs\u2019 roster for Opening Day, earning praise from Manager Craig Counsell. Ballesteros\u2019 hard work and determination have paid off, and he's ready to make an impact in the big leagues. - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=167260\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\ud83d\udea8BREAKING NEWS: MOIS\u00c9S BALLESTEROS, 22, MAKES CHICAGO CUBS OPENING-DAY ROSTER: \u2018HE HAS EARNED THAT,\u2019 CRAIG COUNSELL SAYS! In a stunning move, the young talent has cracked the Cubs\u2019 roster for Opening Day, earning praise from Manager Craig Counsell. Ballesteros\u2019 hard work and determination have paid off, and he's ready to make an impact in the big leagues. - NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"MOIS\u00c9S BALLESTEROS EARNS SPOT ON CHICAGO CUBS’ OPENING-DAY ROSTER \ud83d\udea8BREAKING NEWS: Mois\u00e9s Ballesteros has officially secured a spot on the Chicago Cubs’ opening-day roster, a move that...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=167260\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-03-21T12:03:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-21T12:06:48+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/avtnew-4-3.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"MrThanh\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"MrThanh\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=167260\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=167260\",\"name\":\"\ud83d\udea8BREAKING NEWS: MOIS\u00c9S BALLESTEROS, 22, MAKES CHICAGO CUBS OPENING-DAY ROSTER: \u2018HE HAS EARNED THAT,\u2019 CRAIG COUNSELL SAYS! 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In a stunning move, the young talent has cracked the Cubs\u2019 roster for Opening Day, earning praise from Manager Craig Counsell. Ballesteros\u2019 hard work and determination have paid off, and he's ready to make an impact in the big leagues. - NEWS USA","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=167260","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"\ud83d\udea8BREAKING NEWS: MOIS\u00c9S BALLESTEROS, 22, MAKES CHICAGO CUBS OPENING-DAY ROSTER: \u2018HE HAS EARNED THAT,\u2019 CRAIG COUNSELL SAYS! In a stunning move, the young talent has cracked the Cubs\u2019 roster for Opening Day, earning praise from Manager Craig Counsell. Ballesteros\u2019 hard work and determination have paid off, and he's ready to make an impact in the big leagues. - NEWS USA","og_description":"MOIS\u00c9S BALLESTEROS EARNS SPOT ON CHICAGO CUBS’ OPENING-DAY ROSTER \ud83d\udea8BREAKING NEWS: Mois\u00e9s Ballesteros has officially secured a spot on the Chicago Cubs’ opening-day roster, a move that...","og_url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=167260","og_site_name":"NEWS USA","article_published_time":"2026-03-21T12:03:29+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-03-21T12:06:48+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1080,"height":1080,"url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/avtnew-4-3.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"MrThanh","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"MrThanh","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=167260","url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=167260","name":"\ud83d\udea8BREAKING NEWS: MOIS\u00c9S BALLESTEROS, 22, MAKES CHICAGO CUBS OPENING-DAY ROSTER: \u2018HE HAS EARNED THAT,\u2019 CRAIG COUNSELL SAYS! In a stunning move, the young talent has cracked the Cubs\u2019 roster for Opening Day, earning praise from Manager Craig Counsell. 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Should Ballesteros be in the starting lineup for Thursday\u2019s opener against the Washington Nationals, he will make history as the youngest player in Cubs history to DH in a season opener, according to team historian Ed Hartig. His achievement speaks volumes about his potential and the faith the organization has in him, especially given the challenges young players face in making a major league roster.<\/p>\n
Spring Training Performance: A Taste of What\u2019s to Come<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nBallesteros\u2019 performance in spring training has been nothing short of impressive. In 11 games leading up to Friday, he posted a .355 batting average (11-for-31), with two doubles, two home runs, eight RBIs, a .394 on-base percentage, and a 1.007 OPS. These numbers demonstrate his readiness to take on a more prominent role with the Cubs, particularly as the team\u2019s DH.<\/p>\n
Ballesteros’ ability to perform against major league pitching, coupled with his consistency in getting on base and driving in runs, makes him a valuable asset to the Cubs\u2019 offense this season.<\/p>\n
Roster Decisions Loom for the Cubs<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nWhile Ballesteros’ spot is secure, the Cubs still have some tough decisions to make regarding their final 26-man roster before Thursday\u2019s opener. A key question revolves around the status of right fielder Seiya Suzuki, who is dealing with a sprained PCL in his right knee. A decision on Suzuki\u2019s availability for the start of the season is expected by the end of the weekend, with the possibility that he may need to be placed on the injured list.<\/p>\n
Additionally, the final bullpen spot remains up for grabs. The Cubs recently optioned right-handed relievers Ethan Roberts and Gavin Hollowell to Triple-A Iowa, further narrowing down the options for the bullpen. One potential addition to the bullpen is right-hander Ben Brown, who has been preparing for a possible role in relief. Counsell confirmed that Brown\u2019s one-inning outing on Wednesday was part of his preparation for that possibility.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Conclusion: Ballesteros Set to Make an Impact in 2026<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nMois\u00e9s Ballesteros\u2019 inclusion in the Cubs\u2019 opening-day roster marks the beginning of what could be an exciting chapter in his career. His strong spring training performance and consistent hitting make him a promising player to watch this season. As the Cubs continue to finalize their roster and make key decisions, Ballesteros\u2019 development will be one of the highlights of their 2026 season.<\/p>\n
Stay tuned to ESPN for more updates on the Cubs\u2019 roster and what to expect from Ballesteros in his first full season with the team.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MOIS\u00c9S BALLESTEROS EARNS SPOT ON CHICAGO CUBS’ OPENING-DAY ROSTER \ud83d\udea8BREAKING NEWS: Mois\u00e9s Ballesteros has officially secured a spot on the Chicago Cubs’ opening-day roster, a move that… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":167322,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-167260","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\n
\ud83d\udea8BREAKING NEWS: MOIS\u00c9S BALLESTEROS, 22, MAKES CHICAGO CUBS OPENING-DAY ROSTER: \u2018HE HAS EARNED THAT,\u2019 CRAIG COUNSELL SAYS! In a stunning move, the young talent has cracked the Cubs\u2019 roster for Opening Day, earning praise from Manager Craig Counsell. Ballesteros\u2019 hard work and determination have paid off, and he's ready to make an impact in the big leagues. - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=167260\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\ud83d\udea8BREAKING NEWS: MOIS\u00c9S BALLESTEROS, 22, MAKES CHICAGO CUBS OPENING-DAY ROSTER: \u2018HE HAS EARNED THAT,\u2019 CRAIG COUNSELL SAYS! In a stunning move, the young talent has cracked the Cubs\u2019 roster for Opening Day, earning praise from Manager Craig Counsell. Ballesteros\u2019 hard work and determination have paid off, and he's ready to make an impact in the big leagues. - NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"MOIS\u00c9S BALLESTEROS EARNS SPOT ON CHICAGO CUBS’ OPENING-DAY ROSTER \ud83d\udea8BREAKING NEWS: Mois\u00e9s Ballesteros has officially secured a spot on the Chicago Cubs’ opening-day roster, a move that...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=167260\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-03-21T12:03:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-21T12:06:48+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/avtnew-4-3.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"MrThanh\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"MrThanh\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=167260\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=167260\",\"name\":\"\ud83d\udea8BREAKING NEWS: MOIS\u00c9S BALLESTEROS, 22, MAKES CHICAGO CUBS OPENING-DAY ROSTER: \u2018HE HAS EARNED THAT,\u2019 CRAIG COUNSELL SAYS! In a stunning move, the young talent has cracked the Cubs\u2019 roster for Opening Day, earning praise from Manager Craig Counsell. 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While Ballesteros’ spot is secure, the Cubs still have some tough decisions to make regarding their final 26-man roster before Thursday\u2019s opener. A key question revolves around the status of right fielder Seiya Suzuki, who is dealing with a sprained PCL in his right knee. A decision on Suzuki\u2019s availability for the start of the season is expected by the end of the weekend, with the possibility that he may need to be placed on the injured list.<\/p>\n
Additionally, the final bullpen spot remains up for grabs. The Cubs recently optioned right-handed relievers Ethan Roberts and Gavin Hollowell to Triple-A Iowa, further narrowing down the options for the bullpen. One potential addition to the bullpen is right-hander Ben Brown, who has been preparing for a possible role in relief. Counsell confirmed that Brown\u2019s one-inning outing on Wednesday was part of his preparation for that possibility.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n