Risky Cubs' call-up gives Reds fans a perfect reason to laugh at their division rival

Cincinnati Reds fans are eagerly anticipating the arrival of top prospect Sal Stewart. The young infielder has been tearing the cover off the ball down at Triple-A Louisville, and the fanbase is hoping that his onslaught in the minors translates into a Major League call-up.

One of the Reds' biggest rivals, the Chicago Cubs, called up their top prospect, Owen Caissie, on Thursday. Ranked among the top 50 prospects in all of baseball, Caissie made his Major League debut in his home country of Canada against the Toronto Blue Jays. The 23-year-old rookie went 0-for-4 and the Cubs lost by the final score of 2-1.

But the timing of Caissie's promotion is curious. Heading into play on Thursday, there were 46 days remaining in the Major League Baseball season. In order for a player to maintain rookie eligibility heading into the following season, he must not exceed 130 at-bats or 45 days on the active roster. The Cubs may have made a massive mistake that could cost them an additional draft pick in the future.

Cubs' promotion of Owen Caissie could give Reds fans a perfect reason to laugh at their division rival

Why is this a big deal? It has everything to do with MLB's Prospect Promotion Incentive (PPI). During the 2022 collective bargaining talks, MLB and the Player's Association came up with the idea to create an incentive for teams to accelerate the promotion of their top prospects to the big leagues.

Through the PPI, teams can gain an additional draft pick if the player they promote wins Rookie of the Year, or places among the top-3 in either the Cy Young or MVP voting prior to arbitration. But the Cubs, by promoting Caissie on Thursday, may have ruined any chance of the outfielder winning the 2026 NL Rookie of the Year Award.

Reds fans will remember that Cincinnati took a similar approach with Noelvi Marte in 2023. Marte was, at the time, the Reds top prospect and made his big league debut on August 19. That was not done my accident. Marte was on the active roster for 44 days that season, preserving his rookie eligibility for the following season. Had Marte won the NL Rookie of the Year in 2024, the Reds would've gained an extra pick.

Of course, if the Cubs are hoping to preserve Caissie's rookie eligibility for 2026, they can option him back to the minors — and thay may very well be part of their plan. But if he remains on the active roster through the end of the 2025 season, the Cubs may have just made a grievous miscalculation.

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