There is no question that the Chicago Cubs’ offense has been slumping lately. They haven’t been the same since the All-Star break. Their run production has gone down, and some of their top hitters are wildly underperforming. This includes Kyle Tucker, Seiya Suzuki, Michael Busch, and more. On the contrary, Matt Shaw has been one of the few bright spots, as he has been on fire since the All-Star break. And with the trade deadline passed, the Cubs held on to their best prospects. If they didn’t want to trade them away, they might as well do something useful with them. This could be calling one of them up to help a slumping offense, specifically Owen Caissie or Moises Ballesteros.
Why Should the Cubs Call Up a Top Prospect?
The Triple-A Numbers
The Cubs’ No. 1 prospect, outfielder Owen Caissie, has made a name for himself this year at Triple-A Iowa. He is slashing .281/.381/.557 on the year to go along with 20 home runs. The 23-year-old is in his 5th year in the minors and has climbed his way up, improving every year. He was dealt to the Cubs in 2020 from the San Diego Padres as part of the Yu Darvish trade. He is primarily a right fielder and plays solid defense. For the Cubs, Caissie could be the player they need to provide a spark.
Their No. 2 prospect, Moises Ballesteros, would be another great option. Unlike Caissie, Ballesteros has spent a small amount of time in the majors. He’s only played six games for Chicago, but at Triple-A he is excelling. He is slashing .332/.394/.499 along with 27 doubles. He plays catcher and designated hitter at times, which is the role he played for Chicago. Although his time has been short in MLB, he has shown his bat can be a help to the Cubs. Against the Milwaukee Brewers in late July, he hit a bases-clearing double to blow the game open.
Moisés Ballesteros clears the bases!
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— MLB (@MLB) July 30, 2025
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Even if Ballesteros only played DH, his pure hitting ability would be a great addition to the bench. The one downside is that he wouldn’t get the chance to play every day like he does at Triple-A.
The Cubs Stars’ Struggles
It’s safe to say that the Cubs have not been getting the desired production from some of their best players since the All-Star break. While some guys like Pete Crow-Armstrong, Matt Shaw, and Nico Hoerner have played well, other guys have not. First off, in 18 games since the All-Star break, Kyle Tucker has slashed .212/.388/.308 with only three extra-base hits. Dansby Swanson is right there with him at .200/.250/.317 and three XBH as well. Additionally, Seiya Suzuki has been on a decline as he is slashing .172/.310/.293 with three XBH since then. Finally, Michael Busch has cooled off the most, only slashing .153/.242/.254 since the All-Star break. The lack of hitting from these guys has led to many tough losses and the wasting of good pitching performances. A spark from one of these two prospects would certainly help.
While the Cubs probably want their best prospects playing every day, getting one of these two guys could add a much-needed bat to the lineup. Even if it is for a short period, it could be the thing to get these guys out of their slumps.
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