Chicago Cubs: grading every move from the 2025 offseason

Carson Kelly signing: B-

The catching position has been a bit tricky for the Cubs for a couple of seasons. The team got good production from veteran catcher Yan Gomes in 2023, who served as the primary backstop alongside Tucker Barnhart. But the wheels eventually fell off for both players, and they were each designated for assignment by the Cubs before the end of the 2024 season.

25-year-old Miguel Amaya became the main catcher halfway through 2024, while the backup position was filled by mid-season additions like Christian Bethancourt and Tomas Nido. The Cubs front office tried to upgrade the position at the 2024 trade deadline, which was producing horrendous offensive results until Amaya saw a late-season bounce back. But the team failed to obtain Logan O'Hoppe from the Los Angeles Angels, who has the potential to become one of the best catchers in the league.

After that pursuit, Hoyer seemingly came to grips with the exorbitant cost it takes to acquire a great young catcher. The Cubs opted to bring in another veteran this offseason to pair with Amaya, signing 30-year-old Carson Kelly to a two-year contract. Kelly is a pretty typical catcher in the modern MLB, with decent catching skills and mediocre production at the plate. In 2024, Kelly posted above-average blocking, caught stealing, and pitch-framing according to Baseball Savant, with a slightly below-average 99 wRC+ with the bat.

Kelly was one of the better options in a relatively thin free-agent class talent-wise. He has a lot of experience and it was always a dream for the Chicago native to play for the Cubs, the team he grew up rooting for. It was a decent acquisition, but Amaya will have to pick up the slack in the hitting department. He needs to produce like he did in the second half of the 2024 season (113 wRC+) because the Cubs can't expect to get much from Kelly at the plate.

LHP Caleb Thielbar signing: B-

This was a move that flew under the radar, but the Cubs finally addressed their need for a left-handed reliever which they have frustratingly gone without for a long time. Thielbar is seemingly that guy after the Cubs inked him to a $1 million major league contract.

Now that Mark Leiter Jr. is gone, the Cubs need someone like Thielbar to help clean up left-handed hitters. Aside from a lackluster 2024 campaign (5.32 ERA), the 38-year-old has enjoyed a fairly consistent stretch of seasons late in his career. From 2021-23, the southpaw posted a solid 3.33 cumulative ERA over 154 innings pitched, with 44 holds, and 193 strikeouts.

If he can be something close to that version of himself and stay healthy, which are admittedly big "ifs" for a 38-year-old, he will be a very valuable asset to the bullpen.

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