SURPRISE, Ariz. – The Cubs went in a slightly different direction this winter when they signed Carson Kelly to pair with homegrown catcher Miguel Amaya in his third major-league season.
Veteran Yan Gomes was Amaya’s complement for much of the last two seasons, Gomes’ 12th and 13th in the majors. Amaya supplanted backup catcher Tucker Barnhart, another defense-first veteran, in 2023.
The next year, the Cubs took advantage of Tomás Nido and Christian Bethancourt being released midseason to fill the backup role in the second half, after releasing Gomes.
Kelly, on the other hand, is coming off a career resurgence in Detroit.