Latest news with #Ballesteros
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Cubs Trade Idea Ships Ballesteros for Major Pitching Upgrades
Cubs Trade Idea Ships Ballesteros for Major Pitching Upgrades originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Chicago Cubs have positioned themselves to be buyers at the trade deadline. They sit at 38-22, hold a five-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals for the National League Central lead, and this hot first third of the season does not feel like a fluke. Advertisement The Cubs lead the Majors in runs scored per game (5.82), have two legitimate MVP contenders in Kyle Tucker and Pete Crow-Armstrong, a solid bullpen with a combined ERA of 3.57, and enough starting pitching to make it through the summer. However, President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer and Tucker are in contract years, and despite instilling confidence in the fanbase so far, Chicago needs a real October run to secure their futures. The Cubs have a few top prospects to dangle at sellers, namely C/1B Moisés Ballesteros (No. 4). 3B Matt Shaw and RHP Cade Horton would likely draw a larger audience, but Chicago's already strong catching depth and need for either a starting pitcher or another high-leverage reliever make Ballesteros a potential trade option. Chicago Cubs designated hitter Moises Ballesteros (25) hits an RBI single against the Miami Marlins during the sixth inning at loanDepot Navarro-Imagn Images The 21-year-old is raking for Triple-A Iowa in 2025. He has a .341 batting average, a .892 OPS, five home runs, and an 18:22 BB:K ratio over 44 games and 176 at-bats. Ballesteros has also chipped in three stolen bases. Advertisement Texas Rangers starting pitcher Tyler Mahle and Tampa Bay Rays closer Pete Fairbanks have been floated as possible trade assets. Mahle is on an expiring deal, but his 2.02 ERA/3.23 FIP will likely mean Ballesteros plus another pitching prospect for his services. Fairbanks is not a free agent until 2027, and is quietly putting together another dominant year for the Tampa Bay (1.96 ERA, 2.72 FIP). But that organization has never been afraid to deal top arms, and Ballesteros would make a welcome addition to their farm system. Regardless of what Hoyer and the Cubs do this deadline, expect Ballesteros' name to pop up in trade ideas. Advertisement Related: Cubs Expected to Aggressively Pursue Justin Steele Replacement Before Trade Deadline Related: Former Cubs Top Prospect, Current Yankees Outfielder Throws Shot at Chicago This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
Los Angeles Times
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Gabito Ballesteros is led by love in new album ‘Ya No Se Llevan Serenatas'
Mexican corrido singer Gabito Ballesteros has always been a hopeless romantic. His newest album, 'Ya No Se Llevan Serenatas,' or 'They No Longer Perform Serenades,' tugs at those delicate heartstrings. Released Thursday, the album pays tribute to romance in the digital era of smartphones and social media. Invoking modern-day references, like sending Instagram DMs and going to Disneyland, he puts his own spin on the traditional serenade, a ballad one typically sings below the windowsill of their lover. It's the kind of profound romance that regional Mexican acts such as Joan Sebastian, Vicente Fernandez and Juan Gabriel honed for decades. 'I like to sing to women, bring them roses, be romantic, and I want to convey this to my audience,' said Ballesteros in a statement to The Times. Sprinkled across the 21 tracks is a roster of star-studded Mexican homegrown talents, including longtime collaborator Natanael Cano, Tito Doble P, Christian Nodal, Neton Vega, Carín León, Oscar Maydon and Luis R Conriquez. Colombian reggaeton superstar J Balvin is also featured in the Latin-EDM fusion track, 'La Troka.' Ahead of its release, the rising star teased his sophomore album on Instagram with a clip of him driving a classic Ford Mustang filled with dozens of red roses. Once parked, Ballesteros pulls out his guitar from the trunk as his joint song with Carín León, 'Regalo de Dios,' begins to unfold in the background — a sign that Ballesteros is ready to pour his heart out to whoever that fortunate soul might be. The song is one of the few pre-released tracks of the album, alongside poetic singles like 'Cleopatra,' which compares a woman's beauty to that of the famed Egyptian queen, and the agonizing track 'Perdido,' which looks to fill the void of true love lost with vice. The already popular, anxiety-riddled '7 Diás,' featuring Tito Double P, is also included in the track list; Ballesteros also performs an acoustic rendition of this heartbreak song on YouTube. 'This is a very important album because it tells a very different story than what [I] have been doing],' said Ballesteros. 'The audience will get to learn more about my love and heartbreak.' Ballesteros, who is originally from Sonora, Mexico, first gained recognition in 2020 with his breakthrough conjunto song 'El Rompecabezas.' After obtaining his degree in industrial engineering in 2023, he joined his longtime friend Natanael Cano and Peso Pluma on the chart-topping hit 'AMG,' which debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 92, marking the trio's first appearance on the chart. Ballesteros later appeared on the chart that same year with the megahit 'Lady Gaga' with Peso Pluma and Junior H,' which remained on the Billboard Hot 100 for 20 weeks, peaking at No. 35. The release of 'Ya No Se Llevan Serenatas' comes a year after Ballesteros launched his critically-acclaimed debut album, 'The GB,' which landed at No. 65 on the Billboard 200. The 25-year-old singer— who is under Natanael Cano's record label Los CT and Peso Pluma's Double P Management— has quickly become a force in the new wave of corridos tumbados, amassing more than 50 million monthly Spotify listeners. 'If you're in love, I would like for you to dedicate a song to your lover [from this album]. If you're going through a breakup, listen to it and heal with the music,' Ballesteros said. 'Everything is guided by love.'
New York Times
14-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Overnight, Cubs prospect Moisés Ballesteros went from playing MLB The Show to being in The Show
CHICAGO — Moisés Ballesteros was playing MLB The Show on Monday when Triple-A Iowa manager Marty Pevey called to deliver the stunning news that left the Chicago Cubs prospect feeling like he should throw the controller in celebration and disbelief. After putting up video game numbers, Ballesteros was ticketed for Chicago and his major-league debut. His parents, Andry and Harry, had just traveled from Venezuela, expecting to watch their son play this week in Des Moines. Those plans changed when Cubs left fielder Ian Happ strained an oblique muscle, requiring a stay on the 10-day injured list that created an opening. Advertisement Looking for instant offense, the Cubs promoted Ballesteros, who has a stocky 5-foot-8 build, an innate understanding of the strike zone and a sweet left-handed swing. Overnight, he went from an online gamer to the designated hitter at Wrigley Field. 'He's got a gift to hit,' Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. That gift will need time to flourish, which is why it's so important that Ballesteros is getting this exposure in the middle of May, with a first-place team, in front of a roaring crowd of 38,083. He wasn't the star of Tuesday's 5-4 comeback win over the Miami Marlins, going 0-for-4 while hitting four groundballs, including an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded in the fourth. Through an interpreter, he acknowledged that he was 'a bit anxious' and 'the nerves got the better of me today.' But there is always tomorrow. And the value of experience was underlined by Justin Turner, who has almost as many years in professional baseball (20) as Ballesteros has years on this planet (21). Turner, who had entered the game as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning, lined a two-run, walk-off double into the left-field corner to complete the victory. Right now, the Cubs don't need Ballesteros to be the hero. 'Those are the moments that the big leagues offer, that this place offers,' Counsell said. 'They change you, right? They just do. They change all of us, right? Going through them more gets you a little more comfortable. I'm sure, tonight at home, he'll go over his feelings in those spots and get better the next time.' Offensively, Ballesteros has nothing left to prove at the Triple-A level, where he began this season by batting .368 with a .942 OPS and 50 hits in 34 games. That production against older and more experienced competition continued a trend that started in the Dominican Summer League and kept going in the Arizona Complex League, at Class-A affiliates and Double-A Tennessee, and in the Arizona Fall League. 'He's been the youngest player on his team for his whole career, and he's always been one of the better hitters,' Counsell said. 'It's impressive. Every year, you look up and you're saying, 'He's doing that at this age at that level.' You can't help but take notice.' 'New experience, new stadium, but it's the same goals.' Moises Ballesteros on his promotion to the big leagues.👇 — CHGO Cubs (@CHGO_Cubs) May 13, 2025 Ballesteros was the main attraction for the seven cameras that filmed his pregame media session in the home dugout. He answered questions from reporters in Spanish and English, a skill he picked up in the minor leagues while making a point to communicate with American teammates on and off the field, knowing that grounding would be particularly important for a catcher. Advertisement 'I don't really see myself as 'the young kid,'' Ballesteros said. 'When I was in the academy, I interacted with a lot of older players. I was around a lot of older players. I played against a lot of older players. So I just associated myself as being like them. I never really thought of myself as a young kid.' Though 'it's possible' that Ballesteros could get some innings behind the plate during this homestand against the Marlins and Chicago White Sox, Counsell said 'that wasn't the intent of calling him up.' Essentially, Ballesteros could get a weeklong audition at DH while Happ recovers. Ballesteros, though, will shadow catchers Miguel Amaya and Carson Kelly, to absorb parts of the team's game-planning system. 'He's going to participate in all pregame meetings with the starter and the catcher,' Counsell said. 'That's a little added benefit. I don't see this as the time when we're going to see a lot of catching duties. This, hopefully, is a little week that he gets to sit in and understand (what we do) so that when he does (catch), he's a little more prepared.' Counsell's larger point about Ballesteros' development is that he simply hasn't played that many professional games at catcher (254), meaning he needs more reps before the organization can draw any conclusions about his defensive future. Besides, if Ballesteros gets comfortable and rakes, the Cubs can figure out the rest later. 'Wrigley Field is amazing,' Ballesteros said. 'It's a new experience, a new stadium, but it's the same goals.' And what are those goals? Ballesteros did not hesitate, answering in English: 'To stay here in The Show.'
Fox Sports
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Surprise! Moisés Ballesteros' parents travel from Venezuela and see son make his MLB debut
Associated Press CHICAGO (AP) — The parents of Moises Ballesteros traveled from Venezuela thinking they were going to see their son play for the Chicago Cubs' Triple-A affiliate in Iowa. Instead, the 21-year-old catcher was called up by the Cubs after Ian Happ was put on the 10-day injured list, and the Ballesteros' family was able to attend Moisés' MLB debut on Tuesday night. While Ballesteros had a lackluster 0-for-4 outing in his first big league game, Chicago did manage to pull out a 5-4, walk-off victory over the Miami Marlins. After the game, Ballesteros said he was anxious and that his nerves got the better of him, but that he was trying to 'give it his best' every time he was at the plate with his family making their first trip to the U.S. 'My parents had never watched me play in person as a professional,' Ballesteros said. 'To have them be here at my first professional game, I was trying to just make them proud and go out there and give it my best. We're going to move on to tomorrow, but it was really special.' Ballesteros earned the start as a designated hitter. In his final at-bat, with runners on first and second in the ninth inning, Ballesteros grounded into a fielder's choice and beat out the throw to reach base safely. The play also advanced Carson Kelly to third base, a crucial part of the Cubs' three-run ninth comeback. Per MLB Pipeline, Ballesteros was the Cubs' No. 4 prospect and the No. 8 catching prospect in the minors. Ballesteros' first major league game was an exciting one, he said, and he reiterated how great it felt that his team was able to come together for the win. While he is still looking for his first big league hit, he did get his first MLB game out of the way. Now, Ballesteros will focus his opportunities moving forward. ___ AP MLB: recommended
Associated Press
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Surprise! Moisés Ballesteros' parents travel from Venezuela and see son make his MLB debut
CHICAGO (AP) — The parents of Moisés Ballesteros traveled from Venezuela thinking they were going to see their son play for the Chicago Cubs' Triple-A affiliate in Iowa. Instead, the 21-year-old catcher was called up by the Cubs after Ian Happ was put on the 10-day injured list, and the Ballesteros' family was able to attend Moisés' MLB debut on Tuesday night. While Ballesteros had a lackluster 0-for-4 outing in his first big league game, Chicago did manage to pull out a 5-4, walk-off victory over the Miami Marlins. After the game, Ballesteros said he was anxious and that his nerves got the better of him, but that he was trying to 'give it his best' every time he was at the plate with his family making their first trip to the U.S. 'My parents had never watched me play in person as a professional,' Ballesteros said. 'To have them be here at my first professional game, I was trying to just make them proud and go out there and give it my best. We're going to move on to tomorrow, but it was really special.' Ballesteros earned the start as a designated hitter. In his final at-bat, with runners on first and second in the ninth inning, Ballesteros grounded into a fielder's choice and beat out the throw to reach base safely. The play also advanced Carson Kelly to third base, a crucial part of the Cubs' three-run ninth comeback. Per MLB Pipeline, Ballesteros was the Cubs' No. 4 prospect and the No. 8 catching prospect in the minors. Ballesteros' first major league game was an exciting one, he said, and he reiterated how great it felt that his team was able to come together for the win. While he is still looking for his first big league hit, he did get his first MLB game out of the way. Now, Ballesteros will focus his opportunities moving forward. ___ AP MLB:
