The Chicago Cubs appear to be prepared to move on from veteran catcher Carson Kelly after the 2026 season and are now preparing the organization’s top catching prospect, Owen Ayers, to be a big part of the 2027 team.
Kelly became a free agent earlier in November after he declined his $7.5 million mutual option for next season. The 32-year-old was rock-solid during his two-year stint with the Cubs, hitting .254/.335/.402 and posting a 109 wRC+, 4.3 fWAR, 27 HR, 108 RBI, and a 10.0 BB% rate since 2025. He’s also been good behind the plate, posting positive defensive metrics and successfully challenging pitches under the newly implemented ABS Challenge system in 2026.
However, the Cubs do not appear eager to spend much on free-agent position players, and after a breakout season in the minor leagues for Ayers, the catching prospect is primed to have a big role on the team as a rookie in 2027.
Via The Athletic.
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Carson Kelly is a free agent and after two really strong years with Chicago, the team won’t completely rule out a reunion. But this looks like a situation in which the Cubs are ready to go young and lean on switch-hitting prospect Owen Ayers to team up with Miguel Amaya. Perhaps there is money left in the budget to bring back Kelly. Maybe the Cubs decide a different veteran works and go in that direction. But whatever course they choose, they seem very keen on Ayers and expect him to be a big part of the team, at least to open next season.
Ayers, selected in the 19th round of the 2024 MLB Draft out of Marshall, ended the 2026 season with the Iowa Cubs in Triple-A. He’s a switch-hitting catcher who hit 25 home runs across three minor-league levels while posting a 143 wRC+ in 538 plate appearances. He posted an impressive .289/.403/.526 slash line and showed a great eye at the plate with a 15.2% BB rate.
Still, you have to imagine the Cubs bringing in veteran competition to start the season. Miguel Amaya has been fine in his role over the past few years, but he hasn’t necessarily taken steps to establish himself as the team’s future starting catcher. You don’t necessarily need a monster on offense from your catcher, but that would be putting a lot of pressure on Ayers to come in as a rookie, and not only learn a new pitching staff, but also help contribute on offense.
However, this may also show how much the Cubs believe Ayers will be an immediate positive influence following his 2026 season. Hopefully, it turns out much better than the Moises Ballesteros experiment, who was given a big role last season and ultimately ended up being traded to the Los Angeles Angels after a disappointing midseason stretch.
