Cubs GM Opens Door to Carson Kelly Reunion

While a lot of attention has gone to the Chicago Cubs pitchers hitting free agency, and rightfully so, catcher Carson Kelly is another high-impact player who is currently testing his free agent market.

Kelly has spent the last two seasons with the Cubs and has been a respectable offensive contributor in both years. In 231 total games with Chicago, Kelly has hit .254 with 27 home runs, 108 RBIs and a .736 OPS while accumulating 4.3 fWAR.

Now 32 years old, Kelly already has plenty of free agent interest. The New York Yankees are looking to add a catcher and are one of the teams having active conversations with Kelly as free agency gets underway.

It may be too early to rule out a return to the Cubs, however. According to GM Carter Hawkins at the GM meetings in Las Vegas, the Cubs may make an attempt to bring Kelly back into the mix for 2027.

Chicago claims they are content rolling with Miguel Amaya and Owen Ayers, their No. 2 prospect, if necessary. But Ayers has never seen MLB pitching, and his production took a steep drop to a .721 OPS once he was promoted to Triple-A Iowa last season.

Amaya has been productive, and his fWAR from 2026 was nearly on par with Kelly's despite playing almost 40 fewer games. However, he's had issues staying on the field recently.

Part of Kelly's 2025 breakout season was brought on by Amaya's injuries. Amaya played in only 28 games for the Cubs, missing significant time with an oblique strain and ankle sprain.

The Cubs will obviously have goals of making the playoffs and advancing in the postseason in 2027. And for a team with lofty aspirations, it might make sense to go with a more stable and reliable catching option. Amaya and Ayers being the Opening Day catching tandem creates a lot of uncertainty for the Cubs at a critical position.

You know what you're getting in Carson Kelly. So if the price is right, Chicago should bring him back.

Spotrac's market value estimates Kelly will get a two-year contract worth $30 million. A steep price to pay, yes, but that's the going rate for a veteran starting catcher. And payroll restrictions should not be an excuse for the Cubs to not field the best team possible in 2027.

The team's revenue is head and shoulders above the other teams in the division. It's about time the Cubs took advantage of their market to make sure they were the favorites in the NL Central.

Bringing back Carson Kelly might be a luxury signing, and there are undoubtedly bigger needs elsewhere. But it should still be something the Cubs entertain given the current state of the organization.