The Chicago Cubs, at this time last year, were facing a real dilemma at a key position.
Their planned platoon at catcher had immediately become a deep and brutal failure and the team was already looked for a Plan B and possible Plan C to bail themselves out.
Miguel Amaya, who had been given a co-starting catcher spot alongside veteran and intended mentor Yan Gomes, was pretty much left to his own devices when Gomes crumbled early into the season.
Gomes’ quick fade put the 25-year-old Amaya in a tough spot, suddenly making him THE man behind the plate. He seemed to wilt under the immense pressure, hitting just .201 in the first half of the season and struggling defensively as the top backstop with a revolving door crew of backups brought in to provide marginal support and no help on the way from the minors.
Miguel Amaya’s Rise, Carson Kelly’s Brilliance
Fast forward to one year later and Amaya is one-half of, arguably, the best catching tandem in all of baseball and, suddenly, the Cubs seem to be plenty deep– and somewhat overstuffed– at catcher.
A big part of the turnaround came from the addition of free agent Carson Kelly, who was brought aboard on a two-year, $11.5 million deal.
Thought to be a glove-first acquisition and the kind of grounded mentor to Amaya that Gomes failed to be, the 30-year-old began the 2025 season with a red-hot bat. In just 38 at bats, he has 6 home runs, 18 RBIs, and a hefty .342 batting average.
Kelly’s offensive surge took the spotlight off Amaya and allowed the now-26-year-old to keep developing at the pace he was moving forward in the second half of 2024.
And Amaya has definitely kept that forward momentum going, with an ever-improving offensive game and steadily maturing defense.
The Chicago Cubs Have Two Keepers Behind The Plate
That “coming into his own” maturity was spotlighted with his two-out, 9th-inning, game-tying home run off Tanner Scott in Tuesday’s wild 11-10 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“We don’t quit here,” Amaya told media after the game, taking the focus off “I” and moving it to “we,” as any team leader would. “If they score five, we’re ready to score one per inning. The mentality here is to go out there and compete every single pitch; that’s what has been helping us.”
Amaya’s continued rise has been overshadowed by Kelly’s brilliance, but the co-starting duo has combined to be the biggest pleasant surprise of the Cubs’ early season, as well as an elite-level combined presence. And, if/when Kelly’s numbers come back down to earth, Amaya’s prominence will likely rise, completing the full turnaround from questioned status as a seriously injured top prospect in the minors and early major league disappointment.
“He’s gotten a lot of experience this year,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell told media near the end of the 2024 season. “I don’t think there’s any other position where that matters as much. So, I’m really happy about that, and that he’s kind of gone through the season that he’s gone through. That’s a lot of learning.
“Miguel got off to a rough start, no question about it,” Counsell added. “But on both sides of the ball, he’s improved. If you really look back at Miguel, he needs experience. He caught [116 games] this year. That’s a great number for getting experience. That’s an important number.”
More Catching To Come?
And if the unexpected brilliance of Kelly, coupled with the steady rise of Amaya was not enough, the Cubs also have a young catcher in Triple-A who is absolutely killing the ball and making his case for major league play,
The 21-year-old Moises Ballesteros is batting .377 for the Iowa Cubs and showcasing his offensive prowess as one of the best hitters in all of minor league baseball. Although not yet well-regarded as a defensive catcher, the kid is showing improvement in that area and could find his way to the majors as a backup catcher/designated hitter/backup first baseman if someone in the big leagues suffers a substantial injury.
All in all, the Cubs now suddenly find themselves stacked at catcher. What a difference a year makes.