Chicago Cubs farm director talks about Iowa Cubs’ top prospects

The second half of the Iowa Cubs season has begun and some of the Chicago Cubs’ top prospects are already in Des Moines or could soon be headed to Triple-A.

The Des Moines Register recently spoke with Chicago’s director of player development Jason Kanzler about some of these players.

During the interview, Kanzler spoke about the development of talents Owen Caissie, Moises Ballesteros, the rise of Matt Shaw and one player who has caught his attention.

Owen Caissie has impressed during his first stint in Triple-A

Caissie, a left-handed hitter acquired in the Yu Darvish deal, has had a strong start to his Triple-A career. The 22-year-old has hit .277/.385/.461 with an .846 OPS and 18 doubles and nine home runs in his first 81 games with Iowa. Ranked the third-best prospect in the system by MLB Pipeline, Caissie is still a youngster in a league loaded with veteran players.

“I think he’s done a great job,” Kanzler said. “He’s extremely young for the league, extremely young. So this has been a good test for him. I know he’s learning a lot and I know this experience will help him when he’s a major leaguer.”

So, what’s next for Caissie to work on? Nothing specific.

“I think we’d like to keep an eye on him and see him develop,” Kanzler said. “There’s nothing too specific. He’s at a stage where we’d like to see holistic development and I think he’s perfectly set up at this level, at his age, with his mindset, to do that.”

Moises Ballesteros can hit and catch

Ballesteros, a left-handed hitting catcher, has risen quickly through the system this season. After destroying opponents in Double-A, he was promoted to Triple-A. Ballesteros hasn’t missed a beat. In his first 24 games with Iowa, the 20-year-old is hitting .292/.340/.490 with seven doubles and four homers. MLB Pipeline ranks him as the fifth-best prospect in the system.

“We’re really pleased with how well he’s done this year and how quickly he’s grown as a hitter and as a person,” Kanzler said. “We really challenged him in the spring to do some things and he’s clearly got the batting ability and he can really swing the bat with the best of them and we’re really pleased with the way he’s done. It’s been a great journey for him and I’m sure he’s as excited as we are about the progress.”

Ballesteros has received rave reviews from behind the plate from his Iowa manager Marty Pevey, himself a former catcher. Kanzler said he, too, is pleased with the progress Ballesteros has made.

“He’s come,” Kanzler said. “He’s come a long way. I think in general, when you have a bat-first type of catcher profile and Moises, to his credit, has made his bat the main talking point, the defense can go over people’s heads. But he’s actually improved significantly on defense. And it’s really exciting what he’s done.”

Bryce Windham has remained under the radar

One under-the-radar player who has caught Kanzler’s attention in Triple-A is Bryce Windham. The versatile 27-year-old has played just about everywhere for Iowa. He’s caught, held first, played second and spent time at all three outfield positions. Windham even made a highlight reel with a potential home run-snagging catch up center earlier this season.

“We’ve asked him to do so much this year, especially with all the movement in Triple-A and the random injuries everywhere,” Kanzler said. “His ability to play a lot of positions and do it like a professional has really been helpful to us and a real testament to his character.

The wait continues for Matt Shaw

Since the season began, the clock has been ticking for Matt Shaw to arrive in Des Moines. The 22-year-old was a first-round pick by the Cubs in 2023 and has impressed everyone in the organization with his bat. In 76 games with Double-A Tennessee this season, Shaw has slashed .258/.361/.435 with 11 doubles, two triples and 11 home runs. Could he make it to Iowa this season?

“We’re going to do what’s best for Matt Shaw and his development,” Kanzler said. “But he’s obviously hitting well. I don’t think anyone can say otherwise, based on the numbers. He was drafted not that long ago, so we’re going to do everything we can to make sure we prioritize his development and his long-term success to help the Cubs.”

Tommy Birch, the Register’s sports writer and reporter, has been with the paper since 2008. He is the 2018, 2020 and 2023 Iowa Sportswriter of the Year. Reach him at [email protected] or 515-284-8468.