Jeffrey Phelps/AP Photos
MESA, Ariz. – Five days into official workouts for pitchers and catchers, Cubs backstops Moisés Ballesteros and Christian Bethancourt (a non-roster invitee) were still away from the team, delayed by visa issues.
“It’s not great news,” Counsell said Sunday when asked for an update. “Looking like next weekend at the earliest.”
Bethancourt is a veteran who has shown his adaptability while playing for six different teams, including the Cubs in 2024, in his eight-year major-league career.
For 22-year-old Ballesteros, however, this was poised to be an important spring training for his development, especially on the defensive side.