Cubs working to improve at catcher, trade for Matt Thaiss

Given the nature of the Chicago Cubs’ roster construction, any significant upgrade to the offense is almost certainly going to require trading from the 26-man roster. With probably just one exception, every offensive position around the diamond is locked.

This means the clearest paths to improving on the 83-win teams the Cubs have fielded for the past two seasons come through bolstering their pitching and getting more from their catchers.

They took steps forward on both fronts Wednesday, including trading with the Los Angeles Angels for catcher Matt Thaiss. Earlier in the day, they made a deal with the Cleveland Guardians for right-handed reliever Eli Morgan.

Thaiss isn’t the kind of big-name move Cubs fans are clamoring for, but he should help solidify things behind the plate.

On the whole, Cubs catchers ranked 29th in baseball last season in Wins Above Replacement, according to FanGraphs, one spot above the Chicago White Sox. They were one of just three teams with a negative-fWAR at catcher in 2024.

Much of that had to do with the difference a year made for Yan Gomes. After enjoying a .723 OPS season from Gomes in 2023, the production at catcher fell off the table for the Cubs. He posted a .421 OPS in 34 games last season before the Cubs released him on June 25. From there, Tomás Nido and then Christian Bethancourt served in the catching group.

It appears Thaiss will serve as Miguel Amaya‘s backup. Thaiss (29 years old and a 2016 first-round draft pick) has played in 245 games across parts of six seasons for the Angels, batting .208 in his big league career with 23 doubles, 22 home runs and 79 RBI.

Amaya, 25, took a significant step forward in 2024, appearing in 117 games while batting .232 with eight home runs, 13 doubles and 47 RBI.

Encouragingly, Amaya posted strong numbers in the second half of last season, as adjustments at the plate in early July helped him turn things around. He batted .271 while significantly cutting his strikeout rate from 21.5 percent in the first half to 11.4 percent in the second. Amaya’s hard contact rate also rose in the second half, which lead to a jump in slugging percentage from .288 to .444.

Carry this kind of production into 2025 would mean Amaya is the easy choice to be the starting catcher. But more so than any other position on the field, a team’s second backstop needs to be dependable. They are in the lineup more often than utility infielders or fourth outfielders, and the Cubs’ lack of offense from their catching group played a role in the general offensive woes of 2024.

Thaiss is not going to put up eye-popping numbers at the plate, but he should be sufficient as a backup catcher. He hits righties fairly well and can at the very least work to give Amaya breathers behind the plate.

He also comes cheap; the Cubs sent cash to the Angels in exchange for Thaiss, and though he is arbitration eligible, MLB Trade Rumors projected him to make $1.3 million in ’25. There’s a chance the Cubs non-tender him before the deadline Friday and attempt to re-sign him to a minor league deal, but that’s not a guarantee. If they did go that route, it would free up a spot on the 40-man roster for a different catcher to complement Amaya.

Again, this is not a deal that makes a monumental difference for the Cubs next season, but there is value in making even a small upgrade at a position that was a hole in the lineup for a significant portion of 2024.

In order to make room for Thaiss, the Cubs designated Trey Wingenter for assignment. The Cubs claimed Wingenter on waivers from the Boston Red Sox on Aug. 2, and he pitched in five games for them when he was called up in September.

The Cubs’ 40-man roster currently stands at 40 players, so any further deals are going to include additional corresponding moves.