Cubs Name Ben Martin Farm Director
Martin, who spent last season as assistant director of major-league development, takes over the organization's farm system role.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Baseball
The Chicago Cubs have installed Ben Martin as organization farm director. Martin spent last season as the club's assistant director of major-league development, where he shadowed Alex Bregman and assisted hitters with daily preparation.
Why it matters
The move comes as Chicago's front office reorganizes after Jason Kanzler was hired to manage the Seattle Mariners and Jared Banner left to become general manager of the Baltimore Orioles. Martin's promotion fills a key development post during that transition.
Martin previously worked as a field coordinator at the Cubs academy in the Dominican Republic, a hitting coach in the Arizona Complex League, and a development coach/analyst at Single-A Myrtle Beach. The extraction does not specify how his tenure compares with prior farm directors.
The players
Ben Martin
Martin is a 29-year-old Cubs development executive who previously coached hitters and worked in the club's Dominican Republic academy.
Jason Kanzler
Kanzler is a former Cubs director of player development who was hired to manage the Seattle Mariners.
Jared Banner
Banner is a former Cubs vice president and assistant general manager who became general manager of the Baltimore Orioles.
The details
Cubs general manager Carter Hawkins outlined Martin's new assignment during a media session in Las Vegas on Tuesday. Martin, a St. John Fisher University graduate, previously spent a full year at the club's Dominican Republic complex, living there and learning Spanish.
Timeline
Past three seasons: Kanzler serves as Cubs director of player development.
2022 and 2023: Banner oversees the Cubs farm system.
Last season: Martin serves as assistant director of major-league development.
This offseason: Cubs front office reorganizes.
Tuesday: Hawkins outlines Martin's new assignment in Las Vegas.
Season Trajectory
The appointment extends the Cubs' pattern of promoting internal development staff through the Dominican academy and minor-league affiliates rather than importing outside farm leadership. How that pipeline performs will shape the club's young-player depth as the front office turns over.
The change determines which coaches and development staff oversee Cubs prospects in the coming season, affecting how minor-league players are evaluated and promoted. Fantasy managers tracking Cubs prospects should watch for assignment updates from the club.
The takeaway
Front-office turnover can quickly reshape a farm system, so the Cubs' next development moves will show whether Martin's internal promotion marks continuity or a shift in direction.
Further reading
Explore more Chicago Baseball coverage for context on the Cubs' front-office moves.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The New York Times.
