3 long-term catcher trade targets for the Chicago Cubs to consider to upgrade from Miguel Amaya

At the start of the offseason, there were three top options on the free-agent catcher market that could have provided at least a reasonable pairing with incumbent backstop Miguel Amaya and raised the floor of the Cubs' starting lineup.

The Cubs appear to be on the verge of bringing in Carson Kelly to split time with Amaya next offseason. Kelly is a fine stop-gap, but the Cubs would be well served by finding a true long-term option behind the dish.

The San Diego Padres' Luis Campusano might benefit from a change of scenery

Rumor has it that the Padres might be willing to deal one of their former top prospects in 26-year-old Luis Campusano. Projected to be a bat-first catcher with a good deal of pop, Campusano has failed to establish himself over the last two seasons.

In 2023, the highly-touted prospect impressed with the bat posting a .319/.356/.491 with 7 home runs over 174 plate appearances. However, last season he took a big step back posting a .227/.281/.361 line which was good for a wRC+ of 83. He was demoted to AAA in September but thrived in his short stint back in the minors with a .371/.405/.514 line.

Still young and cheap in his pre-arb years, he doesn't seem like the type of player the Padres would just be willing to give away. However, they have another top prospect threatening his job in the form of 24-year-old switch-hitting catcher Brandon Valenzuela. Valenzuela struggled at AAA following an in-season promotion, however, San Diego may still decide to turn over the reigns to him, especially if they get an offer they can't refuse for Campusano.

For the Cubs, Campusano checks multiple boxes. Young and cost-controlled, he still has a lot of potential and his offense first approach could help lengthen a lineup that is light on impact bats. He has his warts, however, as defense has never been his calling card and his Major League performance with the bat has been inconsistent at best. Depending on the price, he might be a great candidate to benefit from a change of scenery and solve one of the Cubbies' biggest needs.