Can Chicago Cubs Pluck An MLB-Ready Catcher From Pittsburgh's System?

The Pittsburgh Pirates look like they’ll be cautious buyers this offseason, with a young core that features center fielder Oneil Cruz, left fielder Bryan Reynolds, and a trio of aces in Paul Skenes, Jared Jones, and Mitch Keller. However, Bob Nutting is a notoriously cheap owner, and the Pirates won’t be dipping their toes into the deep end of free agency any time soon. As such, they’ll need to scour the trade market in order to build around their in-house talent.

The Cubs, meanwhile, should absolutely be buyers this offseason, with plenty of money coming off the books. There is an obvious need for an ace atop the staff, as well as some middle-of-the-order boppers. Elsewhere on the roster, though, is a pressing need for a catcher. The team tried to trade for Logan O’Hoppe last season, but they weren’t able to get the deal across the finish line.

Thus, we arrive at an obvious fit between trade partners. The Pirates have breakout starter Joey Bart (formerly the Giants’ top prospect), Henry Davis (the No. 1 overall pick in 2021), and Endy Rodríguez (acquired in the Joe Musgrove deal) all on their major-league roster. Most teams tend not to carry three catchers, and with Andrew McCutchen entrenched at DH for as long as he wants to keep playing, the Pirates could easily try to move one of their three backstops. (They have tried Davis in right field, but he’s a well-below-average outfielder and doesn't hit enough to make it worth displacing recent trade acquisition Bryan De La Cruz to slot him there for the long term.)

Starting with Bart, whom the Cubs targeted when they traded Kris Bryant to San Francisco in 2021, the 27-year-old catcher hit .265/.337/.462, for an OPS+ of 120, posting career highs in every notable offensive category. He remains a middling defender, and he didn’t do great work with the Pirates’ otherwise excellent pitching staff, which could turn the Cubs away as they focus on having a “game manager” behind the plate. Still, there are few catchers with Bart’s upside at bat—even if putting a lot of stock into an 80-game breakout is risky.

Davis has long been a brilliant hitter in the minor leagues, slashing .302/.424/.550 since the beginning of 2023 in the highest levels of the minors. However, he’s been worth -2.0 WAR in 99 games in his major-league career, with a career OPS+ of 62. His defensive work has been solid thus far, though a 30.2% strikeout rate is going to scare off a lot of interested suitors.

Rodríguez debuted in 2023 with a below-average bat (.612 OPS, 66 OPS+), and proceeded to miss all of the 2024 season after undergoing UCL surgery. However, he’s a great defensive catcher who has received universal praise for his work calling games, and he’s hit 295/.383/.506 in his minor-league career. He probably fits the mold the Cubs are looking for the best, though pairing him with Miguel Amaya (.644 OPS in 2024, career 85 OPS+) could turn the catching spot into a black hole in the lineup if neither adjusts to major league-caliber pitching.

Of course, to make this swap happen, the Pirates would actually have to: A) want to trade one of their three highly-touted receivers, and B) be willing to trade them within the division. The catching market will likely be as chilly as usual this offseason, with Kyle Higashioka and Carson Kelly serving as the top options in free agency. Still, the Pirates could only sell high on Bart, and they may not want to trade one of their few above-average hitters.

The Cubs could offer a number of higher-level prospects with big bats, who (nonetheless) haven’t broken out at the big-league level yet, including outfielders Alexander Canario and Cole Roederer; infielders Matt Mervis and BJ Murray; or a couple of post-hype prospects, like Ed Howard and Brennen Davis. Depending on their valuation of Davis or Rodríguez, they could make a play for a long-term partner with Amaya behind the dish.

What do you think the Cubs should do? Should they try to pry one of the Pirates’ catchers out of Pittsburgh? And what should they be willing to give up to do so?