Chicago Cubs discussing Carson Kelly trade, per insider

In a Thursday morning trade deadline preview for ESPN, veteran MLB insider Jeff Passan revealed that the Cubs have actually discussed trading catcher Carson Kelly.

Per Passan:

“The Cubs don’t have the prospect depth of the Dodgers, Brewers and Rays and have no intentions of dealing outfielder Josiah Hartshorn. Can a combination of multiple young bats and right-hander Jaxon Wiggins be enough to land the prize? Chicago is going to be creative — with Ayers on the cusp, the Cubs have talked about Carson Kelly with teams seeking a right-handed-hitting catcher, for example — because in a league with the Dodgers, Brewers, Braves and Phillies, walking into a postseason with clear weaknesses is doom waiting to happen.”

For many, that news was more than a bit confounding.

Since signing with the Cubs before the start of the 2025 season, the veteran catcher has been an anchor for the team and a low-key factor in helping to hold together a pitching staff that easily could’ve gone sideways multiple times during his run. He’s also been hitting at a clip well above what was expected of him when he signed his two-year, $11.5 million contract.

Does this make sense?

Yes, the 32-year-old Kelly will become a free agent at the end of this season and, yes, he will most likely sign on with another team for a larger and longer contract than the Cubs would be willing to offer. With Miguel Amaya being able to step up to the starting gig and prospects like Moises Ballesteros and Owen Ayers at Triple-A, Chicago is fairly secure in the catching position.

But who trades away a key veteran presence at a crucial position in the heat of a pennant race?

Trading Kelly isn’t like trading Matt Shaw or Pedro Ramirez, major league assets who have trade value, but no starting spot on the current roster. Kelly’s offensive numbers may not jump out at you this season, but he’s steady, dependable, and most important, a glue that has helped keep this team on track, especially on the pitching side of things.

He definitely has trade value in this market. There are several teams that would love to add a savvy veteran catcher with some pop at the deadline.

Ironically, if the Cubs trade him, they’d be one of those teams in need of a guy like Kelly.