Top prospect Sal Stewart is anxiously awaited by Cincinnati Reds supporters. At Triple-A Louisville, the young infielder has been dominating the field, and the supporters are hopeful that his success in the minor leagues will lead to a call-up to the Major Leagues.
Owen Caissie, the Reds’ best prospect, was called up by the Chicago Cubs, one of their fiercest rivals, on Thursday. Caissie, who was ranked among the top 50 baseball prospects overall, made his Major League debut against the Toronto Blue Jays in his native Canada. The Cubs fell by a final score of 2-1, and the rookie, 23, went 0-for-4.
However, Caissie’s elevation came at an odd time. There were 46 days left in the Major League Baseball season going into Thursday’s games. A player must not have more than 130 at-bats or 45 days on the active roster in order to retain rookie status for the upcoming season. The Cubs could have committed a grave error that will cost them another future draft selection.
Cubs’ promotion of Owen Caissie could give Reds fans a perfect reason to laugh at their division rival
Why does this matter? It is entirely related to the Prospect Promotion Incentive (PPI) offered by MLB. MLB and the Player’s Association came up with the notion to provide an incentive for teams to promote their top prospects to the major leagues more quickly during the 2022 collective bargaining negotiations.
If the player they promote wins Rookie of the Year or finishes in the top three in the Cy Young or MVP voting before arbitration, clubs can use the PPI to get an extra draft selection. However, the Cubs may have destroyed Caissie’s chances of winning the 2026 NL Rookie of the Year Award by elevating him on Thursday.
Reds supporters will recall Cincinnati’s 2023 strategy with Noelvi Marte. On August 19, Marte, then the Reds’ top prospect, made his major league debut. I did not do it by mistake. In order to maintain his rookie status for the next season, Marte spent 44 days on the active roster during that season. The Reds would have received an additional choice if Marte had been named the 2024 NL Rookie of the Year.
Of course, the Cubs may option Caissie back to the minor leagues, and that might very well be part of their strategy if they want to maintain his rookie status for 2026. However, the Cubs could have just committed a grave mistake if he stays on the active roster through the end of the 2025 campaign.
