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Cubs Will Option Owen Caissie Back To Minors, Call-Up Another Top Prospect

Originally posted on Chicago Cubs on SI | By Brad Wakai | Last updated Sep 1, 2025 1:04 PM ET

This era of Owen Caissie with the Chicago Cubs is going to be short-lived.

After the team called up their No. 1-ranked prospect on Aug. 14, they reportedly have now decided to option him back to Triple-A Iowa, according to Patrick Mooney of The Athletic. Taking his place on the roster will be Kevin Alcantara, the team's fifth-ranked prospect who has more extensive major league experience in his career.

Caissie's arrival to the MLB roster was met with tons of fanfare. He had been tearing things up in the minors this season, and his call-up came at a time with the Cubs were going through some offensive struggles and needed a spark.

For the most part, it seemed like he provided that, with him being the center of multiple high-effort plays on the basepaths and showcasing some of his hitting prowess when he was in the lineup. But now he'll get sent back to Iowa for the time being.

The Cubs are optioning Owen Caissie to Triple-A Iowa, according to a source briefed on the decision. Chicago’s current roster setup limited the opportunities for Caissie, a left-handed hitter who made his major-league debut on Aug. 14 and received 24 at-bats over 11 games.
— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) August 31, 2025

This decision might confuse a lot of people, especially because the rosters have expanded from 26 men to 28 across Major League Baseball on Sept. 1. However, despite flashing on occasion, Chicago largely used him in pinch-hit situations.

In 11 games, he only had 24 at-bats, recording five hits with one of them being his first-ever major league home run while another was a double. He had four RBI and drew a walk, but he also struck out nine times, signaling he was a bit overmatched against this level of pitching.

Of course, his backers will point to the lack of reps he got as the reason for that since it's hard for a young player to get into rhythm when they aren't playing every day. But that also is a major factor in the Cubs' decision to send him back down.

Why Did Cubs Option Owen Caissie To Minors?

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Simply put, Chicago had too many left-handed outfielders on their roster and in their lineup for them to carry Caissie at this stage of the season, no matter if he is their top prospect and a future star or not.

With the switch-hitting Ian Happ and left-handed Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kyle Tucker already roaming the outfield as the starting three in the grass, carrying another lefty in Caissie prevented them from having a strong matchup-proof roster.

And if the Cubs weren't going to play him every day based on who is in front of him in the pecking order, then it makes sense for them to send him back down to the minors so he can continue to develop.

Now, Alcantara will get a crack at making an impact for Chicago. Always considered a talented prospect, the 23-year-old hasn't gotten a ton of run in the bigs during his career, making his debut last season and appearing in three games where he went 1-for-10.

This article first appeared on Chicago Cubs on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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