Cubs reunite with veteran catcher on $1.6 million contract

Chicago Cubs fans are still waiting for president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer to make a big move this offseason, but the organization shored up its catching depth on Monday afternoon. Old friend Christian Bethancourt is returning to the team after agreeing to a contract that will pay him $1.6 million if he makes his way back to the MLB roster, according to Jon Heyman.

The 34-year-0ld spent part of the 2024 campaign on the North Side, slashing .281/.305/.509/.814 with three home runs and 15 RBIs in 24 games. Bethancourt has not been back in The Show since, having played 58 games for the Toronto Blue Jays’ Triple-A Buffalo Bisons in 2025. The Cubs should serve as a source of comfort for him, given that he posted seven RBIs in a 14-10 win versus the Pittsburgh Pirates in August of 2024.

Both Miguel Amaya and Carson Kelly are under contract, so signing a third catcher is unlikely to impress fans. Injuries are inevitable, however. Considering Amaya logged only 28 games last season, it does not hurt to bring in a player who knows the position and is somewhat familiar with the Cubs. The Bethancourt reunion means that Reese McGuire will almost certainly not be back on the roster in 2026.

Chicago is taking its time in free agency, opting to address the bullpen rather than pulling off a blockbuster acquisition. Management is under suffocating pressure to cement the ballclub as a World Series contender, and the Christian Bethancourt signing obviously does not accomplish that goal. But it could protect the Cubs against potential injury woes. You have to start somewhere, right?

While fans eagerly await more news, the Panama native will get himself reacquainted with his former team.