The Chicago Cubs on Friday announced they have recalled outfielder Justin Dean. In a corresponding move, catcher Moisés Ballesteros has been optioned to Triple-A Iowa.
Ballesteros, 21, is hitting .231 (36-for-156) with six doubles, six home runs and 23 RBIs in 59 games for the Cubs this season.
Dean, 29, is hitting .238 (43-for-181) with eight doubles, two triples, three home runs, 14 stolen bases and a .369 OBP in 56 games with Iowa this season. Dean, at the time of his promotion, led the I-Cubs (min. 10 stolen base attempts) in stolen base rate (93.3%) and was third in stolen bases (14) and on-base percentage. The right-handed hitter was claimed off waivers from San Francisco on January 13.
The Maudlin, S.C., native made his major league debut with the Dodgers on August 8, 2025. He appeared in 18 regular season games for Los Angeles, recording two plate appearances (no hits) and one stolen base. Dean was on the playoff roster for each round of the Dodgers’ 2025 World Series run, playing in 13 games as a defensive replacement or pinch runner and recorded one stolen base and one run scored. He has hit .251 (649-for-2,589) with 97 doubles, 39 triples, 42 home runs and 253 stolen bases in 745 career minor league games in the Braves (2018-24), Dodgers (2025) and Cubs (2026) farm systems.