Report: Cubs call up James Triantos for MLB debut

Triantos has hit .306/.344/.440 at Triple-A Iowa this year and is only 23, but seems unlikely to have a real role with the Cubs for the time being so he can mostly be ignored for fantasy purposes. Perhaps he’ll spell Nico Hoerner some if Hoerner keeps struggling.

As is often the case with the first batch of spring cuts, there were no real surprises among this group. Triantos, 23, showed well during Cactus League play, hitting .280 (7-for-25) with four RBI, three stolen bases and a 4/6 K/BB ratio in 31 plate appearances. He could debut with the Cubs in a utility role at some point during the 2026 season.

Triantos represents the highest-profile prospect the Cubs needed to guard from next month’s Rule 5 Draft. The 22-year-old infielder’s stock has taken a hit over the past year, but he still projects as a viable utility infielder at the highest level.

Luzardo seems risky after dealing with elbow and back injuries in a 2024 season in which he posted a 5.00 ERA in 12 starts, but he was excellent in finishing with a 3.58 ERA and 208 strikeouts in 178 2/3 innings in 2023. Triantos and Caissie are fine prospects and would be candidates to help out next year if traded. Triantos would probably step in at second base sometime next summer, whereas Caissie would have a chance to win a corner outfield gig in spring training.

The 20-year-old infielder has been an outstanding table-setter for the Mesa Solar Sox this fall, slashing .417/.495/.679 with three long balls, 15 RBI, nine stolen bases and 18 runs scored in 99 plate appearances. Triantos — a second-round pick from the 2021 draft — hit .287/.364/.391 with four homers, 48 RBI and 16 swipes over 83 games during the 2023 season, primarily at High-A South Bend. Expect him to begin the 2024 campaign as the starting shortstop at Double-A Tennessee.

Triantos leads the AFL with 32 hits and is slashing .427/.511/.720 over 20 games with three home runs, 15 RBI, eight steals and five triples. He also has 14 strikeouts and 12 walks in 20 games. The 20-year-old played most of 2023 in High-A but did get three games in Double-A to end the season. While he will likely start 2024 back at Double-A, it’s interesting to note that he’s been playing outfield in the AFL, starting nine games out in the grass, which could be Chicago’s way of seeing whether or not they can get him to the majors even with Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner in the middle infield.

Triantos, a second-round pick of the Cubs in the 2021 draft, is getting more reps in the desert after missing a month at the beginning of the season after undergoing surgery to repair the meniscus in his right knee. The 20-year-old leads the league with a 1.290 OPS across 61 plate appearances. With the two-hit performance Saturday night, he raised his slash line to .431/.525/.765. The versatile infielder, who played center field in this contest, finished the season at Double-A Tennessee and could be ready for the majors in the next year or two.

Triantos, a second-round pick the Cubs in 2021, is expected to miss 6-8 weeks. The 20-year-old slashed .272/.335/.386 with seven homers and 20 steals over 113 games with Class A Myrtle Beach last season and is ranked as the Cubs’ No. 12 prospect at MLB Pipeline.

Triantos, 19, also scored a couple of runs in the contest. The 56th pick of last year’s draft is having a so-so first season with the Pelicans, slashing .260/.327/.333 over 96 at-bats. Don’t confuse those numbers with a lack of talent, however. Triantos has a swing that suggests the potential for a plus hit tool, and there’s solid average power in his right-handed bat, as well. This is very much a long-term play, but Triantos could be a starting shortstop someday, and there’s enough offensive upside to suggest fantasy relevance.