Cubs' No. 1 Prospect Owen Caissie to Make MLB Debut vs. Blue Jays

The Chicago Cubs are adding some firepower to their lineup as the home stretch of the 2025 season approaches.

Owen Caissie, the Cubs' No. 1 prospect, will make his MLB debut in Thursday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays. He will be Chicago's designated hitter, batting fifth in the lineup.

The Cubs acquired Caissie in December 2020 as part of the trade that sent starting pitcher Yu Darvish to the San Diego Padres. Nearly five years later, the Burlington, Ontario native is set to make his major-league debut just 35 miles from his hometown.

Caissie has appeared in 93 games for Triple-A Iowa this season and hit .289 with 22 home runs and 52 RBI. He's unlocked a new level in his game recently, as Jim Callis of MLB.com reported that he hit .383 over his last 17 games. Callis also referred to the 23-year-old as "one of the best power-hitting prospects in baseball."

Caissie's arrival comes as the Cubs are trying to lock up a National League wild-card spot, which would achieve their first playoff berth since 2020. Chicago ranks second in the NL Central with a 68-51 record, but a recent 4-6 stretch caused the team to fall behind the first-place Milwaukee Brewers by 7.5 games for the division lead. The Cubs have also scored just 33 runs in their last 10 games, so Caissie's presence should provide a spark for the offense.

Caissie won't have it easy in his first taste of big-league action, as the Blue Jays are sending future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer to the mound for Thursday's start. Matthew Boyd, who's tied for fourth in MLB with a 2.45 ERA, will be starting for the Cubs.