Chicago Cubs: Miguel Amaya turned a lot of heads this offseason

There is no denying that the Chicago Cubs have many problems to address this offseason, including a shortage of backstops. After the North Siders traded their ace Yu Darvish along with his battery mate Victor Caratini to the San Diego Padres, it became clear that the Chicago Cubs lack catching depth.

Currently, two-time All-Star Willson Contreras is slated to be the team’s number one catching option. However, Contreras is the only one of two catchers left on the team’s 40-man roster. Additionally, Jed Hoyer’s vision of rebuilding and making moves to benefit the future leaves Contreras’ future with Chicago uncertain. In reality, Contreras has been a rather big name in trade talks, and whether he stays put or is on the move is anyone’s guess.

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With this in mind, it is vital that Chicago find a way to acquire a backstop before the 2021 season commences. They’ve even been quiet in terms of minor league pacts for catchers – a harrowing sign. The catcher of the future on the North Side is clear, though, in Miguel Amaya.

Miguel Amaya looks like the Cubs catcher of the future.

Amaya, 21, has created quite a stir among those within the Cubs organization. Since upper executives have been raving about him, there is no surprise that he has been so successful in Puerto Rico’s Roberto Clemente Professional Baseball League this offseason. Not only has Amaya become an outstanding hitter, but that along with his stellar performance as a defensive backstop, he led his team to the champion series.

This winter, Amaya has slashed .261/.533/.609 with two homers and 11 RBI over 10 games. In the semifinals, Amaya was the star of the show as he went 2-for-3, hitting two doubles and driving in three of his team’s runs as he led them to a 4-2 win to finish a sweep in that series. Unfortunately, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the finals match is on hold, so only time will tell if Amaya will bring home a championship.

Looking at his numbers, it isn’t hard to see what all of the fuss is about. Amaya is young, has excellent work ethic and many would love to see him on the North Side’s big league roster. However, it is not that easy. It should be noted that this is a small sample size. Amaya is young, and while he has made strides in development, he needs more seasoning in the minors.

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The Cubs aren’t about to start Amaya’s service clock in 2021 – for a myriad of reasons. In the end, yes, while his stellar performance in the Winter Leagues has shown promise, it be some time before we see Amaya at the big league level.

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