It has been tough for Miguel Amaya to stay on the field this season. The Chicago Cubs catcher first injured himself toward the end of May when he strained his left oblique and was placed on the 60-day IL.
He would then be activated off the IL on August 12, only to return to it after just one game. He dealt with a sprained left ankle and is currently undergoing a rehab assignment with the Triple-A Iowa Cubs.
With Amaya down, the Cubs have turned to Carson Kelly, Reese McGuire, and most recently, Moises Ballestros. Ballestros made his debut over the weekend and blasted his first home run in his second game, which was almost caught by Anthony Rizzo.
Cubs’ catcher could be on the chopping block this offseason
The Cubs have multiple catchers at their disposal who can compete at the big-league level. They will have to figure out what to do with this group next season, which could spell trouble for Miguel Amaya.
Amaya could be one of the players that the front office tries to move on from this offseason. Cubbies Cribs’ Jordan Campbell speaks about Amaya’s potential future with Chicago.
“To Miguel Amaya’s credit, when he was on the field in 2025, he made a strong case that he is capable of being the long-term answer for the Cubs at catcher. However, Amaya’s biggest liability is availability. With Carson Kelly under contract for 2026 and Moises Ballesteros ready for an extended run at the Major League level, Amaya could be a surprise trade candidate this offseason.”
If Amaya were to be offered as a trade candidate, he should have little trouble receiving interest from other teams. As Campbell said, Amaya’s biggest setback is his injury history. If he can stay healthy, he could really help a team both offensively and defensively.
