![\"Pedro](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP26203119414453-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWASHINGTON \u2014 When the Cubs were on the lookout for pitching at the trade deadline, one of their more sought-after young players was Pedro Ram\u00edrez, whom Chicago valued highly and was reluctant to move. Ultimately, there wasn\u2019t a deal that made sense. Ram\u00edrez was just too important to Chicago\u2019s present plans and future ambitions.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m really thankful to still be part of this team,\u201d he said through an interpreter Tuesday. \u201cI didn\u2019t think much about (the trade deadline) because I don\u2019t have any say in that situation. I was just focusing on my game and being able to do the job that\u2019s expected of me out there.\u201d<\/p>\n
What\u2019s expected of Ram\u00edrez has grown exponentially over the last year. Entering last season, he wasn\u2019t even viewed as one of Chicago\u2019s top-10 prospects. But the Cubs were higher on Ram\u00edrez than most. When he was brought up in smaller deals last summer, minor-league coaches and staff recommended against including him, believing there was more in the tank for the hard-working infielder.<\/p>\n
That work ethic is what initially got Ram\u00edrez noticed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like I\u2019ve always tried to be focused,\u201d Ram\u00edrez said. \u201cEver since I signed, that\u2019s what I thought to myself: that I wanted to be a disciplined player. It\u2019s how I\u2019ve always been, focused and doing things the right way.\u201d<\/p>\n
By spring training, the big-league coaches and players were seeing what others were talking about. Manager Craig Counsell, not one to easily dish out praise, made sure to commend Ram\u00edrez for the way he carried himself. Veterans noticed it as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel really happy that they have that idea, that they think those things about me,\u201d Ram\u00edrez said. \u201cI\u2019ve always thought to myself, wherever I go, I\u2019ll always try to show that. It instills a lot of confidence in me that they think about me that way. I\u2019m very thankful for the opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n Expectations around Pedro Ram\u00edrez have grown over the last year. (David Banks \/ Associated Press)<\/p>\n
Those who had watched Ram\u00edrez develop \u2014 from a 17-year-old in the Dominican Summer League to the defensive whiz who performed all season long at Double A in 2025 \u2014 felt a breakout was coming. No, he wasn\u2019t just the singles-hitting, defensive replacement who would max out as a bench player. They saw something more.<\/p>\n
Then came his performance in Triple A this year, when he delivered a career-high nine home runs in just 43 games while posting a 135 wRC+. That earned him a call-up in late May when Matt Shaw went on the shelf with back tightness. At the time, Ram\u00edrez was looked at as just a temporary fill-in.<\/p>\n
But he continued to show maturity beyond his years. His at-bats were calm and his defense remained stellar. This did not look like your typical 22-year-old getting his first taste of the big leagues.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m focused on my game,\u201d Ram\u00edrez said. \u201cI\u2019ve been preparing for this my whole life, for so many years, for when I would get that moment. That\u2019s allowed me to be calm and do things right.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Cubs have been so impressed with Ram\u00edrez that they\u2019re already starting to wonder how he fits into their future. With Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki heading into free agency this winter, the Cubs are getting comfortable with the idea of giving Ram\u00edrez an everyday role in a corner outfield spot.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know what the plans are for that position,\u201d Ram\u00edrez said. \u201cWhat I do know is I feel like I can take on whatever role is needed. Whatever it is they need, I can help and I\u2019ll do my absolute best.\u201d<\/p>\n
Including the minors, Ram\u00edrez has played 45 innings in left field, just one in the big leagues. But that\u2019s the level of faith the Cubs have in his ability to adapt quickly.<\/p>\n
Since Ram\u00edrez arrived in the big leagues, he has never once seemed overwhelmed. The Cubs have taken notice. Counsell gives Ram\u00edrez starts multiple times per week. He\u2019s not just a rookie getting a taste of the big leagues. He\u2019s become an important part of a team that has grand aspirations.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t really think about myself as the piece that I\u2019ve become or anything like that,\u201d Ram\u00edrez said. \u201cI\u2019m more so focused on doing things right. Every opportunity that\u2019s given to me, I have to do it right. It\u2019s exciting to be a part of a team like this, I\u2019m really happy to be a part of this team.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"WASHINGTON \u2014 When the Cubs were on the lookout for pitching at the trade deadline, one of their…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":852749,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[558],"tags":[64,63,5158,591,85],"class_list":["post-852748","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-mlb","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-chicago-cubs","tag-mlb","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/852748","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=852748"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/852748\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/852749"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=852748"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=852748"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=852748"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}