Could Cubs and Padres Link Up on Catcher Trade?

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The Chicago Cubs enter the 2026-27 offseason with clear needs in the rotation and the outfield, but a quiet one also lurks behind the plate. While Miguel Amaya remains a part of the projected roster, the likely departure of Carson Kelly in free agency means that the team will have to cover roughly a starter's worth of innings at the position. There's an outside shot that they look internally to fill the void left by Kelly, with prospect Owen Ayers standing on the cusp of a big-league gig. A world exists in which the Cubs go with the Amaya-Ayers combination and address depth at the position, rather than acquiring an outside name to replace Kelly directly. However, despite his rapid ascent over the last year, it remains to be seen if the Cubs would let Ayers begin the season at the top level or if they'd rather him continue to refine his defense for a spell in Iowa to begin 2027.

As such, it remains at least moderately more likely that the Cubs will address the position with someone capable of handling innings at the top level from the start for next season. Perhaps it's someone who can handle roughly 60 percent of the innings while Amaya covers the rest. Maybe it's vice-versa. The need exists, though. There's also a club out there with an obvious wealth at the position, in the San Diego Padres.

The Padres ran their final month of the season with three catchers on their roster. Freddy Fermin was the team's starter for much of the year before losing his grip on a starting role to Luis Campusano as the year progressed. In the final month, top prospect Ethan Salas began making headway toward playing time, even logging heavy innings in their brief postseason run.

It's unlikely that the Padres intend to carry all three again in 2027, especially when each brings a specific skill set that can be utilized in a trade to improve elsewhere on their own roster. Should they make a move to send a catcher elsewhere, the Cubs would certainly be a team to watch, given their need. However, caveats abound.

The first is exactly what type of catcher the Cubs would be able to acquire. Salas is off the board. He turned 20 in June and possesses star-caliber upside. A trade would net you only one of Fermin or Campusano, and both come with certain questions.

For Fermin, those questions are about his bat. He ranks as one of the better defensive catchers the game has to offer, finishing with a Fielding Run Value of 8 in 2026. However, there's virtually no offense to speak of. His wRC+ checked in at a mere 68, with his inability to contribute much of anything on offense a main reason he was ousted from the job in the first place.

On the other end of the spectrum resides Luis Campusano. His wRC+ came in at 127, offering legitimate upside for a position that doesn't always have it. His shortcomings are on defense. Two years ago, he was virtually unplayable (-13 FRV). He has, though, shown significant growth in the time since. His FRV in 2026 got much closer to average (-2), and he controlled the running game extremely well (4 CS above average). The Cubs prioritize defense, though, so it's possible that growth may not be enough to interest them in the slugger.

Regardless of the specific profile for which the Cubs may look, that the Padres have legitimate options clearly available does make the two a theoretical match in a trade. To make that match work, though, we also need to answer another question: What do the Padres need?

San Diego's needs largely match the Cubs'. They need starting pitching as badly as the Cubs do. They need to add someone to take on regular work in left field. They'd also probably like some additional depth in the bullpen, in light of the presumed departures of multiple relievers in free agency. That the two sides have similar needs probably makes a deal less likely.

From any angle, it becomes kind of a tough sell, but the Padres figure to be very active on a number of fronts under new ownership. If the Cubs are seeking a major-league caliber catcher in a trade, few organizations have the chance to be a better source than San Diego.