These Three Rising Cubs Stars Could Impact This Season and Beyond
Chicago Cubs baseball is back for its 150th rendition, and the expectations for a deep playoff run are higher than they’ve been in years. Fueling the excitement is the club’s most complete roster in recent memory, featuring stars at just around every turn. While Seiya Suzuki‘s trip to the IL temporarily takes a bit of sting out of the middle of this potent lineup, there are several other players ready to take the next step toward stardom.
The most obvious of those is Moisés Ballesteros, who will break camp with the big league club as the everyday DH and emergency backup catcher. Middle infielder Jefferson Rojas and outfielder Kevin Alcántara will open the season in the minors, but both were impressive in Cactus League action and could be ready for primetime before long.
Making the Opening Day roster out of spring training can be more ceremonial in some cases, but Ballesteros earned his shot despite a late start due to visa issues. The vibrant young slugger dazzled in the Cactus League, amassing an incredible 1.056 OPS with a pair of homers and 10 runs driven in. He didn’t have much more than a cup of coffee with the Cubs in 2025, but he looked comfortable and played within himself during that time.
The 22-year-old has continued to look so good that he doesn’t even need help from his coaches.
“I’ve suggested to the hitting coaches that they stay away from him,” Craig Counsell joked to reporters. “I did have a meeting with the hitting coaches at one point this spring. I called them all together, and they got a little nervous. I said, ‘You guys should stay away from Ballesteros.’
Developing consistent power at the MLB level will make this young man a mainstay in the lineup for years to come. Another youngster with a bright future is Rojas, who is a luxury for a squad with Gold Gloves all over the infield. He won’t turn 21 until late April and still has plenty of time to develop before getting a taste of the bigs, but he showed off some serious pop in Mesa with four home runs.
He also struck out 12 times in 51 plate appearances, a sign of being just a little too aggressive at the plate. He has maintained a strikeout rate of less than 20% at each stop since 2023, however, and his 12.3% walk rate suggests he’s got a great eye for the zone.
The Jaguar has had one of the longer runways to get big league-ready, and it just got a little longer when he was optioned to Triple-A on Tuesday. Once he comes up for the third time, though, his acceleration could be rapid. What he lacks in plate discipline, he makes up for in range and athleticism. Alcántara can cover so much ground across all three outfield positions, making him the organization’s best option to fill in for Pete Crow-Armstrong should an issue arise.
The moves this club delivered since falling short of its goals last October are part of the necessary and logical evolution of a team that now considers itself a true World Series contender. The Cubs are in win-now mode, and with that come decisions that might not strike fans as prudent in the moment. This does not mean, however, that Jed Hoyer and the front office have mortgaged their future in favor of a one-and-done run at the Commissioner’s Trophy.
This city and this fanbase would no sooner be satisfied with a limited window for contention than with a hot dog slathered in ketchup. As revelers descend on Wrigley to renew an Opening Day tradition, we’d do well to remember that this squad is ready for now, but prepared for the future.
