Cubs must finally decide what Miguel Amaya means to their future before it's too late

Miguel Amaya is among the Chicago Cubs' arbitration-eligible players, and with a salary projection of $1.7 million, it's a foregone conclusion that he will be back with the team in 2027. It seemed that Amaya was positioned to be the Cubs' primary catcher on Opening Day next year, but with recent speculation that Carson Kelly could be brought back, what does that mean for Amaya?

Amaya's injury history was believed to be one of the primary reasons why the Cubs may have been under the belief that he was incapable of becoming THE catcher for the team. It also helps that their two-year deal with Kelly was among the best moves Jed Hoyer has ever made.

But if Kelly is brought back, along with money that makes it worth his while to return, and Owen Ayers knocking on the door of being major league ready, it's hard to determine what Amaya's future is with the Cubs.

Cubs fans saw offensive regression from Amaya in 2026 and believe he had a bad season. That's not exactly the case. In 254 plate appearances, Amaya slashed .236/.340/.377 with a wRC+ of 106. There was a clear dip in batting average and his power, but his ability to get on-base still made him a slightly above-average offensive player. It's offensive production you would take from a starting catcher.

The problem is that in just 28 games with the Cubs in 2025, he had four home runs and 25 RBI. For reference, this past year, he had six home runs and 28 RBI.

Setting the offensive production aside, Amaya graded out as an above-average defensive catcher in 2026, and he made notable strides in his ability to throw runners out.

Cubs have reached a now or never moment with Miguel Amaya that they can't ignore

Even if the Cubs go close to the top of Kelly's market to bring him back, Amaya making under $2 million is still good value. This is a team that will potentially be losing two key bats off the bench in Michael Conforto and Tyrone Taylor, and if nothing else, Amaya will be kept around for those reasons.

That said, prioritizing Kelly's return would seemingly provide final confirmation of the thinking that Amaya will never be the 1A option for the Cubs behind the plate. If that's the case, with Ayers' arrival imminent and Amaya's salary likely rising moving forward, assuming health and similar offensive production, it may not be a crazy idea that he is a surprise trade candidate for the Cubs this offseason.

Teams will be in search of catching, and the options on the free-agent market are often scarce. Amaya could have value in that sense, and could be a creative way for the Cubs to find common ground in a trade for a starting pitcher under team control.

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