Cubs Make Carson Kelly Two-Year Deal Official

[Jacob Zanolla]

It took a few days, but the Carson Kelly signing is now official. After entering the offseason with the goal of upgrading at the catcher position, Jed Hoyer grabbed Carson Kelly, one of the last free-agent catchers on the market.

Image courtesy of © Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Carson Kelly's official deal is for two years, earning $11.5 million total. This is quite a solid bargain compared to what other catchers have been earning. Kelly is originally from Chicago, which is a possible reason for the deal coming together. 

He’s an average catcher offensively, with one of the best parts of this game being the lack of strikeouts and balls chased out of the zone. His OPS of .687 in 2024 is definitely below average but was slightly better than his new partner, Miguel Amaya. 

Kelly’s defense is the best part of his game, with above-average blocking, framing, and stolen base prevention. His three blocks above average were just over the 60th percentile mark, with his framing around the same. Until Christian Bethancourt was added to the team, the Cubs were one of the worst teams in baseball when it came to throwing runners out. Kelly should help change that, as he threw out four more runners than the average catcher, putting him in the 85th percentile compared to the rest of the league. 

Once it was clear that someone like Logan O'Hoppe or Cal Raleigh was unavailable via trade, Hoyer had to pivot for the current year. Two possible prospects to investigate as trade options are Drake Baldwin and Carter Jensen, with Cody Bellinger being a trade candidate for both teams. 

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