Iowa Cubs Announce 2025 Opening Day Roster
March 28, 2025 - International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs News Release
DES MOINES - The Iowa Cubs, in conjunction with the Chicago Cubs, today announced their 2025 Opening Day roster. The roster features 17 players with Major League service time and 18 players who have past suited up for Iowa.
The roster also features nine players on the Cubs' Top 30 Prospects List according to MLB.com, including RHP Cade Horton (No. 2), OF Owen Caissie (No. 3), C Moises Ballesteros (No. 4), INF James Triantos (No. 5), OF Kevin Alcántara (No. 6), INF Jonathon Long (No. 13), RHP Jack Neely (No. 16), INF Ben Cowles (No. 22) and OF Christian Franklin (No. 25).
Caissie and Alcántara headline the group of outfielders for Iowa. Caissie spent the whole 2024 season with the I-Cubs and was one of three farmhands aged 21-or-younger with at least 130 hits and 70 walks. Alcántara batted .278 (117-for-421) with 21 doubles, 14 home runs and 61 RBI in 111 games between Double-A Knoxville and Iowa in 2024. Franklin, Darius Hill and Greg Allen round out the outfield.
Triantos the No. 72 prospect according to MLB.com, returns to Iowa after being promoted from Double-A Knoxville in August. He became the first Cubs' minor leaguer since 2010 with at least 130 hits and 45 stolen bases last season. Rounding out the infield will be Cowles, Long, Dixon Machado and Chase Strumpf.
Among the 15 pitchers on the roster, Horton returns for his second stint with the I-Cubs after going 2-1 with a 4.46 ERA (17 ER in 34.1 IP) across nine starts with Double-A Knoxville and Iowa in 2024.
The rest of the pitching staff features 10 right-handers, including Phil Bickford, Chris Flexen, Gavin Hollowell, Caleb Kilian, Brooks Kriske, Jack Neely, Connor Noland, Daniel Palencia, Cody Poteet, Trevor Richards and Ethan Roberts. Rounding out the pitching staff are four left-handers, Brandon Hughes, Luke Little, Riley Martin and Jordan Wicks.
Catching for the I-Cubs will be 2023 and 2024 Cubs Minor League Player of the Year Ballesteros, Reese McGuire and Carlos Pérez.
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