Latest catcher ranking reiterates a huge need for the Cubs this offseason

A recent ranking of the Top 10 catchers from Bleacher Report highlights one of the biggest needs for the Chicago Cubs right now. A legitimate starting catcher.

The Cubs are notably absent from this list as Miguel Amaya and Christian Bethancourt are currently the main duo behind the dish for the North Siders. Bethancourt has been a solid backup since Tomas Nido went down with an injury on July 30. In a very short five-game stint so far, the 32-year-old has collected four extra-base hits and thrown out the lone runner who has tried to steal on him. But in terms of the Cubs' long-term plans, Bethancourt - and Nido, for that matter - is not an answer, and the team needs a significant upgrade at the position.

Amaya is only 25 years old but he has not taken a significant step forward at the big league level yet and it's looking more likely by the day that he is a backup catcher at best. According to Baseball Savant, Amaya's pitch framing has been about league-average this year while his ability to throw out runners has been a serious problem. Runners have attempted to steal second base 43 times while Amaya has been catching, and he has only been able to stop them 7% of the time (3 runners caught)

Amaya's bat is also near the bottom of the pack this year. Among the catchers with at least 100 plate appearances, Amaya's 63 wRC+ ranks 43 out of 54. The young catcher is enjoying a hot streak as of late, but it is peanuts compared to his numbers on the year. Jed Hoyer and company should not use this stretch to overvalue Amaya's offensive production in the long run. Simply put, the Cubs need a better starting catcher.

Who can the Cubs acquire?

While the Cubs do have a top-catching prospect in Triple-A in Moises Ballesteros, we have yet to see his skills transfer to the MLB level and there are concerns of him even staying at the catcher position. Amaya was also a highly touted catching prospect in the Cubs' system before getting called up and he has failed to reach a high level of production in the majors. There's an argument to be made that the team should call up Ballesteros this year and see what he can do, but I think pursuing a proven major-league talent should be a priority no matter what Ballesteros gives you.

Angels catcher Logan O'Hoppe (25) and Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers (26) may be available via trade for the right price. Both are young and currently play for teams that are very unlikely to be competitive any time soon. Both men would also be significant upgrades over Amaya defensively and offensively.

The problem with these two players is their value. They are young and under team control for multiple years, meaning their respective teams will want top-tier prospects in exchange. The Cubs do have a deep enough system to swing a trade like that, it's a matter of what the asking price is and who Hoyer is willing to give up. With the log jam in the outfield, guys like Owen Caissie (no. 3), Kevin Alcantara (no. 6) and Alexander Canario are expendable, as is second baseman James Triantos (no. 4).

A trade like this may be the only option for the Cubs as the free-agent market is lacking in high-end catchers this year.