Cubs Announce Several Roster Moves for Monday
Today got so busy between the trade deadline and some other activities, like selling a new Combat to the shortstop of a rival school, that I failed to put out a lineup post or track the transactions. Oh, we also had a doubleheader in softball to make up for last week’s rainout. It’s too late to bother with the lineup, but I’m going to go ahead and share the media releases of the different moves for posterity.
The Chicago Cubs today acquired left-handed pitcher Braxton Garrett from the Miami Marlins for minor-league infielder Jonathon Long and minor-league right-handed pitcher Jace Beck. Additionally, the Cubs optioned Garrett to Triple-A Iowa. The Cubs 40-man roster currently stands at 40 players.
Garrett, 28, has spent most of the season with Triple-A Jacksonville, pitching to a 4-4 record with a 2.90 ERA (25 ER/77.2 IP) with 83 strikeouts, compared to 29 walks, good for a 0.98 WHIP across 16 appearances, including 15 starts. In two major league starts for the Marlins with season, has surrendered seven earned runs in 4.1 IP (14.54 ERA).
The six-foot two-inch, 202-pound Garrett has spent his entire 10-year professional career with the Marlins. Since making his major league debut in 2020, the lefthander is 16-20 with a 4.16 ERA (153 ER/330.2 IP) and 325 strikeouts in 67 career major league games (65 starts).
In his first full major league season in 2022, Garrett posted a 3.58 ERA (35 ER/88.0 IP) in 17 starts and was named to MLB.com’s All-Rookie Second team. During the 2023 campaign, he went 9-7 with a 3.66 ERA (65 ER/159.2 IP), posting career-best marks in wins (9), innings pitched (159.2), strikeouts (156) and starts (30). He finished the season with a 5.38 strikeout-to-walk ratio (156 SO/29 BB), good for third-best in the N.L. and sixth-best in the majors (min. 100 IP). He missed the entire 2025 season due to Tommy John surgery.
Garrett, a native of Foley, Ala., was selected by the Marlins with the seventh overall pick in 2016 out of Florence High School (Ala.). Prior to signing with the Marlins, he was committed to Vanderbilt University (Tenn.).
Long, 24, is hitting .291 (407-for-1,400) with 78 doubles, four triples, 56 home runs, 237 RBI, 210 walks and six stolen bases in 379 minor league games across four seasons with the Rookie League Cubs (3 games), Myrtle Beach (23 games), South Bend (68 games), Tennessee/Knoxville (46 games) and Iowa (239 games). The right-handed hitter was selected by Cubs in the ninth round in 2023 and is ranked as the organization’s No. 10 prospect according to MLB.com.
Beck, 26, has recorded a 18-16 record with a 4.41 ERA (99 ER/202.0 IP) with four saves, 306 strikeouts and 134 walks in 128 games (16 starts) across five seasons with the Mets (2019-25) and Cubs (2026) organizations. He split the 2026 season between Double-A Knoxville (20 games) and Iowa (five games). The right-handed pitcher was selected by the Mets in the 22nd round of the 2019 draft, before joining the Cubs as a minor league free agent following the 2025 season and is currently ranked as the organization’s No. 28 prospect by MLB.com.
The Chicago Cubs today acquired right-handed pitcher Ryan Zeferjahn from the Los Angeles Angels for minor-league catcher Moisés Ballesteros and minor-league right-handed pitcher Mason McGwire. The Cubs 40-man roster currently stands at 40 players.
Zeferjahn, 28, is 4-3 with a 3.66 ERA (21 ER/51.2 IP) and four saves in 45 appearances in relief with the Angels this season. He ranks in the 100th percentile in the majors in xBA (.161), the 97th percentile in strikeout percentage (33.6%), the 96th percentile in whiff rate (34.6%), the 92nd percentile in breaking run value (7), the 89th percentile in xERA (2.95) and the 87th percentile in average fastball velocity (97.0 mph). His 75 strikeouts are tied for the third-most among major league relievers, while his 33.6% strikeout rate ranks sixth in the majors (min. 45 G) and his whiff rate is seventh.
Zeferjahn is 10-8 with a 3.94 ERA (55 ER/125.2 IP), six saves and 166 strikeouts in 119 career games (one start), all with the Angels, since making his major league debut in 2024. In 2025, he led the Angels with 17 holds, going 6-5 with a 4.74 ERA (30 ER/57.0 IP) and 72 strikeouts. He held right-handed hitters to a .216 average (25-for-116), while batters hit .190 (11-for-58) with 27 strikeouts against his sweeper. Following the All-Star break in 2025, he posted a 3.27 ERA (8 ER/22.0 IP) in 22 games.
The six-foot five-inch, 225-pound Zeferjahn was selected by Boston in the third round in 2019 out of the University of Kansas. The Topeka, Kan., native was traded to the Angels in a five-player deal involving right-handed pitcher Luis García on July 30, 2024.
Ballesteros, 22, has split the season between the majors and Triple-A Iowa, batting .231 (36-for-156) with six home runs and 23 RBI in 59 major league games and .235 (28-for-119) with two homers with Triple-A. He was signed by the Cubs as an international free agent on January 15, 2021.
McGwire, 22, has recorded a 5.77 ERA (87 ER/135.2 IP) in three seasons with the Cubs organization, spending time with the ACL Cubs (11 games), Single-A Myrtle Beach (25 games) and High-A South Bend (8 games) across 44 total appearances, including 29 starts. The righty was selected by the Cubs in the eighth round of the 2022 draft and is currently ranked as the organization’s No. 18 prospect by MLB.com.
The Chicago Cubs today acquired right-handed pitcher Ryan Zeferjahn from the Los Angeles Angels for minor-league catcher Moisés Ballesteros and minor-league right-handed pitcher Mason McGwire. The Cubs 40-man roster currently stands at 40 players.
Zeferjahn, 28, is 4-3 with a 3.66 ERA (21 ER/51.2 IP) and four saves in 45 appearances in relief with the Angels this season. He ranks in the 100th percentile in the majors in xBA (.161), the 97th percentile in strikeout percentage (33.6%), the 96th percentile in whiff rate (34.6%), the 92nd percentile in breaking run value (7), the 89th percentile in xERA (2.95) and the 87th percentile in average fastball velocity (97.0 mph). His 75 strikeouts are tied for the third-most among major league relievers, while his 33.6% strikeout rate ranks sixth in the majors (min. 45 G) and his whiff rate is seventh.
Zeferjahn is 10-8 with a 3.94 ERA (55 ER/125.2 IP), six saves and 166 strikeouts in 119 career games (one start), all with the Angels, since making his major league debut in 2024. In 2025, he led the Angels with 17 holds, going 6-5 with a 4.74 ERA (30 ER/57.0 IP) and 72 strikeouts. He held right-handed hitters to a .216 average (25-for-116), while batters hit .190 (11-for-58) with 27 strikeouts against his sweeper. Following the All-Star break in 2025, he posted a 3.27 ERA (8 ER/22.0 IP) in 22 games.
The six-foot five-inch, 225-pound Zeferjahn was selected by Boston in the third round in 2019 out of the University of Kansas. The Topeka, Kan., native was traded to the Angels in a five-player deal involving right-handed pitcher Luis García on July 30, 2024.
Ballesteros, 22, has split the season between the majors and Triple-A Iowa, batting .231 (36-for-156) with six home runs and 23 RBI in 59 major league games and .235 (28-for-119) with two homers with Triple-A. He was signed by the Cubs as an international free agent on January 15, 2021.
McGwire, 22, has recorded a 5.77 ERA (87 ER/135.2 IP) in three seasons with the Cubs organization, spending time with the ACL Cubs (11 games), Single-A Myrtle Beach (25 games) and High-A South Bend (8 games) across 44 total appearances, including 29 starts. The righty was selected by the Cubs in the eighth round of the 2022 draft and is currently ranked as the organization’s No. 18 prospect by MLB.com.
The Chicago Cubs today recalled outfielder Kevin Alcántara from Triple-A Iowa. In a corresponding move, outfielder Justin Dean has been optioned to Iowa.
Alcántara, 24, has split the season between Iowa (61 games) and the Cubs (19 games), batting .271 (64-for-236) with 13 doubles, 17 home runs, 46 RBI and a .905 OPS with the I-Cubs and .200 (4-for-20) with three RBI with Chicago. He is currently riding a 40-game on-base streak in Triple-A dating to April 24, the second longest active streak in the minors.
Dean, 29, has appeared in 17 games with Chicago this season, going 3-for-8 (.375) with a triple and three RBI.
The Cubs play the Los Angeles Dodgers tonight at 7:05 p.m. at Wrigley Field in a game that can be seen on Marquee Sports Network and heard on 104.3 the Score and, in Spanish, on TUDN 106.7.
