Cubs send Caissie back to Triple-A for playing time; Alcántara recalled

CHICAGO -- The Cubs kicked off the month of September by letting one of their top prospects catch his breath in Triple-A while giving another an extended look in the bigs.

Before Monday's series opener against the Braves, Chicago optioned its top prospect, Owen Caissie, back to Triple-A Iowa. In a corresponding move, the Cubs recalled outfielder Kevin Alcántara  -- ranked by MLB Pipeline their No. 5 prospect – who made a brief appearance with the club last September.

Caissie, the No. 45 overall prospect who made his big league debut on Aug. 14 in Toronto, slashed .208/.240/.375 over 11 games (six starts) with the Cubs. But as his playing time began to wane, the Cubs felt getting on the field every day in Iowa would be much more beneficial in the long run. Still, in breaking the news to Caissie, manager Craig Counsell stressed that this was no guarantee he's played his last game in a Chicago uniform this season.

“Very clearly just explained [that] why you’re going down is to play, because you haven’t been playing,” Counsell said. “But your Major League season is not over. When you get sent down at this time of year, sometimes you think, ‘My Major League season could be over.’ I think it’s important for him not to think that.”

Caissie showed flashes in his initial stint in the big leagues, most notably homering during a three-RBI day that helped the Cubs nab a win over the NL Central rival Brewers on Aug. 19. However, the 23-year-old made just two more starts after that performance, which left the Cubs concerned the inconsistent playing time might negatively impact his development.

“At Owen’s place in his career, he has not [spent extended time on the bench],” Counsell said. “To get here, you play every day. You’re not the guy that sits there, watches the game and understands the game, and then comes into the game.”

That line of thought also shed additional light on Chicago’s move to sign veteran free agent Carlos Santana on Monday. At 39 years old, the Cubs saw in Santana a player with enough experience to handle fluid playing time and not let it hinder his ability to contribute.

Meanwhile, Alcántara returns to Chicago after making a three-game cameo during the final week of the 2024 season. Though he logged one hit, the 23-year-old -- nicknamed "The Jaguar" -- spent much of Spring Training clawing for a spot on the big league roster. He was ultimately optioned to Iowa to begin the season and has slashed .266/.349/.470 in 102 games with the I-Cubs, with 26 doubles, 17 home runs and 69 RBIs.

Though Counsell noted Alcántara may be part of a cycle of prospects the Cubs rotate into the outfield down the season’s home stretch, his .998 OPS against southpaws this season was a big reason why Chicago made the move to bring him up. With center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong enduring some late-season struggles at the plate, Alcántara is viewed as someone who can give the All-Star a breather and help him be ready for the postseason.

“Bringing Kevin up, he can play center field against lefties,” president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said. “Hopefully he can give Pete some more days off. You want him fresh and playing well. That was the mindset.”