NEWSLETTER
Today, the Chicago Cubs announced their minor league player and pitcher of the year for the farm system, and I gotta confess that I’m 50% surprised. Cade Horton as the pitcher of the year was a no-brainer, given his enormous breakout, but I really thought Owen Caissie had player of the year locked down.
Which is not to say the actual winner, Moises Ballesteros, is anything less than deserving.
The 19-year-old catcher opened the season at Low-A Myrtle Beach, quickly showing his bat was too advanced for the level. But even after a promotion to High-A South Bend, where Ballesteros was one of the youngest players in the league, he didn’t stop hitting. That earned him a cup of coffee with the Tennessee Smokies at the end of the season, where he contributed to their postseason run and championship win. Deeply impressive for such a young catching prospect.
Horton, the Cubs’ top draft pick last year also rose from Low-A to High-A to Double-A this year, getting better and better as the year went on. It was an incredible professional debut for Horton, who very well could see time in the big leagues next year.
From the official team release:
The Chicago Cubs today named catcher Moises Ballesteros the Buck O’Neil Cubs Minor League Player of the Year and right-handed pitcher Cade Horton the Vedie Himsl Cubs Minor League Pitcher of the Year.
Ballesteros, 19, hit .285 (120-for-421) with 27 doubles, 14 home runs and 64 RBI in 117 games across three levels with Single-A Myrtle Beach, High-A South Bend and Double-A Tennessee. The right-handed hitting catcher walked 63 times, compared to 78 strikeouts, contributing to a .375 OBP and an .823 OPS. Among Cubs minor leaguers with at least 400 at-bats, Ballesteros ranked among the leaders in average (2nd), walks (5th), OBP (5th) and OPS (7th).
The five-foot 11-inch Ballesteros played in 56 games with Myrtle Beach to begin the season, batting .274 (54-for-197) with 12 doubles, eight home runs and 32 RBI. He walked 40 times, compared to 30 strikeouts, contributing to a .394 OBP. In 17 games during the month of April, Ballesteros batted .300 (18-for-60) with one double, four home runs and 12 RBI. The catcher registered a .413 OBP and a .517 slugging percentage during the month.
Following his June 19 promotion, Ballesteros batted .301 (61-for-203) with 15 doubles, six home runs and 31 RBI in 56 games in South Bend, including .368 (25-for-68) with eight doubles, one home run and 10 RBI in July. His .368 average and .444 OBP in July both ranked second among Midwest League qualified players. Ballesteros capped off his season with a Southern League championship with Tennessee. In four games in the postseason, he batted .308 (4-for-13).
Ballesteros has played 228 career minor league games, batting .274 (214-for-781) with 49 doubles, 27 home runs, 122 RBI and an .813 OPS. A Los Teques, Venezuela native, Ballesteros signed with the Cubs as an international free agent January 15, 2021. He is currently ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Cubs’ No. 7 prospect.
Horton, 22, went 4-4 with a 2.65 ERA (26 ER/88.1 IP) in 21 starts between Myrtle Beach, South Bend and Tennessee during his first professional season in 2023. The righthander struck out 117 batters in 88.1 innings for an average of 11.92 strikeouts per 9.0 IP, compared to 27 walks (2.75 BB/9.0 IP). His 117 strikeouts were the second-most in the Cubs organization, while his 11.92 strikeouts per 9.0 IP also ranked second among starting pitchers with at least 20 starts.
The six-foot one-inch Horton began the campaign with the Pelicans, making four starts, pitching to a 1.26 ERA (2 ER/14.1 IP) with 21 strikeouts. He was promoted to South Bend May 6, where he made 11 starts, going 3-3 with a 3.83 ERA (20 ER/47.0 IP). In four starts in June, he went 3-0 with a 0.92 ERA (2 ER/19.2 IP) with 29 strikeouts, including a season-high 10-strikeout, no walk performance in 5.0 scoreless innings June 7 vs. Lansing.
Horton finished the 2023 season with Tennessee following his promotion July 31, going 1-1 with a 1.33 ERA (4 ER/27.0 IP) and 31 strikeouts in six regular season starts. He helped lead the Smokies to the Southern League championship, winning both of his postseason starts, including the championship-clinching game in Pensacola on September 26. He allowed one run in 10.0 innings (0.90 ERA) during the postseason run.
An Oklahoma City, Okla., native, Horton was selected by the Cubs in the first round (seventh overall) in 2022 out of the University of Oklahoma. The right-handed pitcher finished the 2023 season ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Cubs’ No. 2 prospect and MLB’s No. 29 prospect overall.
