Ryan Sweeney is headed back to the big leagues.

The Des Moines Register reported Sunday night that Sweeney, a former Cedar Rapids Xavier prep, is being called up by the Chicago Cubs. The Chicago Cubs website said that move is expected to be announced Monday.

“It’s a good feeling,” Sweeney told the Register. “I put in some hard work down here, and hopefully I’ll get up there and transfer it over.”

The Cubs' website said Sweeney will take the roster spot of outfielder Dave Sappelt, who will be optioned to the minor leagues.

Sweeney, 28, has played seven seasons in the major leagues for the Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics and Boston Red Sox. He was a second round pick of the White Sox in the June 2003 draft out of Xavier. He is a career .280 hitter in the major leagues.

Sweeney played for the Red Sox last season and batted .260 in 63 games. His season ended in July when he broke his hand slamming it into a dugout wall after making an out.

He went back to spring training with the Red Sox as a non-roster invitee and was the last player cut from the squad. He refused an assignment to Class AAA Pawtucket and instead signed with the Cubs organization as a free agent and was assigned to Class AAA Iowa.

Sweeney batted .337 in 23 games for the I-Cubs. He hit six home runs and drove in 16 runs, largely hitting out of the cleanup spot in the batting order.

The Cubs are scheduled to play the Texas Rangers Monday night at Wrigley Field in Chicago and Sweeney is expected to be in uniform for the game.

“I’m ready to go,” Sweeney told the Register. “Nobody wants to come back here (minor leagues), but I tried to make the best of it and get back there as quickly as I can.”