The Cubs finalized a two-year free agent deal with catcher Carson Kelly on Friday evening. The CAA client is reportedly guaranteed $11.5MM with the chance to earn another $500K annually via incentives. Kelly will make $5MM salaries in each of the next two seasons and is guaranteed a $1.5MM buyout on a $7.5MM mutual option for 2027. He’d trigger a $250K bonus for starting 81 and 91 games in each season. Chicago already had a 40-man roster vacancy after dealing two roster players in this afternoon’s Kyle Tucker trade.
Kelly was the top unsigned catcher. The thin market has moved quickly. Travis d’Arnaud, Kyle Higashioka, Gary Sánchez, Danny Jansen, Jacob Stallings and Austin Hedges have all gotten MLB deals. Kelly joins Higashioka and d’Arnaud in securing a second guaranteed year and exceeding the $10MM mark.
The righty-swinging backstop had a nice year in 2024. Kelly started the season particularly well, hitting .240/.325/.391 with seven home runs in 203 trips to the plate for the Tigers. Detroit dealt him to the Rangers at the deadline. That was designed to give Kelly a chance to join a contender, but the Rangers sputtered while the Tigers made a surprise playoff push in the final couple months. Kelly’s bat tailed off after the move, as he hit .235/.291/.343 with two homers over 31 games as a Ranger.
That mediocre finish led Texas to pursue Higashioka instead. Still, Kelly’s combined .238/.313/.374 slash line in 313 plate appearances is solid work from a part-time catcher. Statcast graded him positively for his work behind the plate, crediting him with better than average framing and blocking metrics. While Kelly’s raw arm strength was middle of the pack, he cut down an above-average 26.3% of basestealers.
That was a rebound after Kelly had consecutive poor offensive showings in 2022 and ’23. He combined for a .210/.281/.320 slash between the Diamondbacks and Tigers. Kelly had intermittently shown the upside to be a true #1 catcher early in his career in Arizona. He has since settled in as a quality part-time player.
That’s the role he should play in Chicago. The Cubs can somewhat evenly divide playing time between Kelly and 25-year-old Miguel Amaya. A former top prospect, Amaya struggled early in the year before going on a tear in the final two months of the season. He ended the season with a .232/.288/.357 slash over 363 plate appearances. The strong finish wasn’t enough for the Cubs to forego the catching market entirely, yet it lessened their urgency to entertain trading from the top of the farm system for a clear starter.
Kelly’s salary bumps Chicago’s projected payroll to roughly $199MM, according to the calculations at RosterResource. The $5.75MM average annual value pushes their estimated competitive balance tax number to $215MM. That leaves them around $25MM below the base luxury tax threshold.
Robert Murray of FanSided first reported on Monday that the Cubs and Kelly were closing in on a deal. Jeff Passan of ESPN was first to report the $11.5MM guarantee. ESPN’s Jesse Rogers first reported the presence of the ’27 mutual option and the potential $500K in annual incentives. Sahadev Sharma of the Athletic had the salary breakdown and specifics on the bonuses. Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
The Cubs could have had Trevino in a package for Bellinger instead. Let’s make a deal
Trevino isn’t that good though
Another catcher gone. Seems like a lot for a backup.
Thats just the going rate for players, in general.
D’Arnaud got 6 million/year for two years, and he’s a nominally better backstop than Carson.
“for large market players”
Fixed it for you.
@kellin. Exactly the angels signings aren’t looking bad now. Glad perry struck early. Especially the catcher’s market. Even soler for 2/26 wasn’t bad.
He will play a lot. Better defense than Amaya.
This – Vazquez and his .575 OPS is getting $10M next year.
Jansen and his .623 OPS is getting paid $8M next year.
Seems like the only team that doesn’t understand the value of catchers is the Red Sox.
Cubs knocking out they’ve Christmas list today.
Still have to think a Belli trade announcement is coming.
They are seeing an opportunity and doing something about it.
Others are not.
Hoyer got off his rear end is doing something this offseason. Last offseason he sat pat, and we got a mid team with mid results.
I don’t think acquiring Imanaga and Busch, was ‘sitting Pat’. Bullpen was destroyed by injuries in the first half . . . along with a couple months of poor hitting by some people they were counting on.
Thank you Dogbone—finally someone who realizes how decimated the pen and staff was early in the season. Before May 15th Steele, Taillon, Hendricks, Smyly, Merryweather, Wicks, Almonte, Alzolay and Thompson were all on the IL nd Brewer went on right after that. When you literally have seven or eight pitchers from the opening day expected roster on the IL at the same time, you get the results that happened.
Poor Hector Neris had to play the role of 6th thru 9th inning guy because Almonte, Merryweather, and Alzoaly weren’t available.
And don’t forget–during this exact same time Bellinger, Suzuki and Dansby were also on the IL.
The Cubs easily improve 5-7 games with health and not trotting out pitchers number 15-19 on the depth chart.
Every team gets injuries, so no excuses, yet it is hard to compete when that many pieces crumble at the same time.
All valid points, but admittedly Hoyer could have done more with the bullpen last offseason.
Cubs never get anyone good… especially today. 🙂
Tucker isn’t good????
And you’re not a troll.
Have fun in last place!
Nobody asked but growing up in the 90s, Kelly Carson might have been the hottest chick on the Big Island. That is all, carry on.
On that note, Kelly Carlson from “Nip/Tuck” is also a baddie
Hmmm, unfamiliar but good lookin’ out Fins!
Watch Starship Troopers 2 if you like Kelly Carlson.
Jennifer Love Hewitt all the way for me!
So the Cubs signed Tucker-Carson today.
More appropriate combination for the White Sox.
Woke signing in Kelly Clarkson
Add more pitching, Hoyer.
The Cubs needed to do something to fortify catcher. I’m not sure this guy is the answer. Is he going to be any better than Amaya? Plus, you’re giving him nearly double the money you gave Tucker Barnhart, who was a massive bust. Roughly the same money you gave Yan Gomes, who was good for one year, and then got cut. I don’t see the point in spending this type of money on a backup catcher, especially someone that isn’t that much better than other replacement-level players available at a fraction of the cost. I hope I’m wrong, but this move does nothing for me.
MLB catching is a very difficult job! I think adding MLB experienced catching is great. Look at Maldonado who can’t hit playing for the Astros made the team better! With Thiass and now Kelly is satisfying. I give the catching upgrade a B-!