The Cubs maintain offseason momentum with catching gains

The Cubs maintain offseason momentum with catching gains

After completing a blockbuster deal for Kyle Tucker earlier in the day, the Cubs entered the free agent market to increase their catching depth.

The team agreed to terms with veteran backstop Carson Kelly on a two-year contract on Friday.

Kelly, 30, started the 2024 season with Detroit before joining the Rangers in late July. He slashed .238/.313/.374 (.687 OPS) with 9 home runs and 37 RBI. Kelly is coming off his best season since his 2021 campaign with Arizona, where he posted a .754 OPS and 13 home runs.

The former second-round pick is a lifetime .224/.307/.373 hitter with 54 home runs and 207 RBI.

REACTION TO THE KYLE TUCKER TRADE

The right-handed hitting Kelly gives manager Craig Counsell and the Cubs another backstop option to pair with Miguel Amaya. Amaya ended the season with a win after abandoning his leg kick in favor of a toe kick while swinging. In his last 54 games, Amaya hit .282/.331/.468 with 124 runs scored, 24 percentage points above league average, 6 home runs and 32 RBI.

But the Cubs were always looking for a complement with Amaya at the helm. The team traded for Matt Thaiss from the Angels at the start of the offseason, but he is a converted catcher who won’t play the position in a more regular role until 2023.

One of the Cubs’ goals this offseason was a catcher who could divide the duties behind the plate evenly. This would allow both Amaya and – in this case now Kelly – to stay fresh throughout the season and prepare them for situations where they could be successful.

Kelly is also a solid defender behind the plate.

He snagged 26.3% of would-be base stealers, nearly 5 percentage points above league average. In 2023, he had a caught steal rate of 26.8%, 7 percentage points above league average.

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