Justin Dean is back on the Cubs' 26-man active roster after the club recalled the 29-year-old from Iowa on Friday. Moisés Ballesteros was optioned to Triple-A Iowa on Thursday, and Dean moves into the roster spot vacated by the switch.
Dean’s defense got the nod
The Cubs said the move is about outfield defense. Dean fits that profile: he spent last season in the Dodgers' system, then appeared in 18 regular season games with two plate appearances and 13 postseason games, working only as a pinch-runner or defensive replacement.
That usage points to the role he can fill right away. Dean is not being brought in to chase at-bats; he gives the Cubs a late-game option in the outfield and a different bench look when they want a cleaner defensive alignment.
Ballesteros’ season turned
The roster shuffle also reflects how Moisés Ballesteros got here. He opened the season with a.387/.435/.710 line over his first 25 games, going 24-for-62 with five doubles, five home runs, 16 RBI and 12 runs scored.
Since then, the production fell off. In his next 34 games, he hit.128/.217/.170, went 12-for-94, hit one home run and struck out 24 times before the Cubs sent him to Iowa.
Justin Dean’s Cubs path
Dean was visible to Cubs followers before this recall. He wore uniform No. 1 in Cubs Spring Training this year, then later made a center-field play in Game 6 of the 2025 World Series that signaled the ball hit by Addison Barger was stuck in the wall.
Whether Justin Dean will make his Cubs debut this weekend is not known here, but the move gives the club an immediate defensive piece and replaces a bat that had cooled sharply after a fast start.
