Miguel Amaya has reached the point where the Cubs have to answer a simple question: what is he to them?
He is arbitration-eligible, and with a salary projection of $1.7 million, a return in 2027 looks like a safe bet. For a while, it appeared Amaya would be in line to open next season as Chicago’s primary catcher. But that picture gets murkier if Carson Kelly is brought back.
Amaya’s injury history has long been part of the conversation around whether the Cubs viewed him as a player they could trust to be the guy behind the plate. Kelly’s two-year deal was also one of the better moves Jed Hoyer has made, which only complicates the issue further.
If Kelly returns on money that makes sense for him, and Owen Ayers continues pushing toward major league readiness, the Cubs suddenly have a crowded picture at catcher. That leaves Amaya’s role harder to define than it seemed not long ago.
The offense in 2026 may have fueled some of the doubt, but it was not quite the disaster some fans made it out to be. In 254 plate appearances, Amaya hit .236/.340/.377 with a wRC+ of 106.
His batting average and power slipped, yes, but he still reached base enough to profile as a slightly above-average hitter. That’s production a team can live with from a starting catcher.
The numbers also look a little different when compared with 2025, when Amaya played only 28 games but still managed four home runs and 25 RBI. This past season, he finished with six home runs and 28 RBI.
On the other side of the ball, Amaya rated as an above-average defensive catcher in 2026, and his ability to throw out runners took a noticeable step forward.
Even if Chicago gets close to the top of Kelly’s market to keep him, Amaya still brings value at less than $2 million. With the Cubs potentially losing two important bench bats in Michael Conforto and Tyrone Taylor, keeping Amaya around would make sense for more than one reason.
Still, if the Cubs decide Kelly is the priority, that would feel like a clear signal that Amaya is not their top answer behind the plate. And if Ayers is close, while Amaya’s salary keeps climbing in the years ahead assuming health and similar production, a surprise trade this offseason would not be out of the question.
Catching is always a market teams need, and free-agent options can dry up fast. That gives Amaya value, and it could also make him a useful piece if the Cubs want to try to line up a trade for a starting pitcher under team control.
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