Owen Ayers’ rise through the Cubs’ system has turned into more than just a nice development story. His jump from Double-A Knoxville to Triple-A Iowa puts him one step away from Chicago this season, and it also hints at a bigger question the Cubs may have to answer this winter: what do they do at catcher?
Carson Kelly is headed for free agency, and while a return to Chicago is possible, the Cubs may not get the clean path they’d like. They’ll already have plenty to sort through on the pitching staff, and they’re expected to need at least one corner outfielder as well. On top of that, Kelly is positioned to be the top free-agent catcher available, which could make keeping him even tougher.
That leaves the Cubs with a thin-looking set of internal options behind the plate. Miguel Amaya has proven he can handle the backup role, but the idea that he’s the full-time answer doesn’t seem to be there. Moises Ballesteros has made progress as a catcher, yet not enough to suggest he’s ready to take over the job next year.
Ayers, though, is suddenly pushing his way into the conversation.
The 2024 MLB Draft pick has put together a huge season, hitting . . . well, not with batting average, but with production that jumps off the page: a 1.061 OPS and 22 home runs in 330 plate appearances split between High-A and Double-A. That kind of breakout is exactly how a player goes from organizational depth to a real future piece.
If Ayers keeps moving the way he has, he could be in line for a 2027 Opening Day look with the Cubs. That’s the timeline this promotion starts to suggest.
There is one wrinkle, though. Ayers is not on the 40-man roster right now, and if he were added by December, he’d be among the players locked out in the event of a work stoppage.
That would mean no direct work with the Cubs during that period. The alternative is leaving him off the 40-man, which avoids that issue but would create more roster juggling once the stoppage ends.
It’s a small piece of the puzzle, but for a prospect on the rise like Ayers, it matters.
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