Chicago Cubs’ 26-year-old catcher making a difference behind the plate so far this season

The Chicago Cubs are coming off a series loss at home against the San Francisco Giants and are set to take on the New York Mets for three games on the road this weekend. The team has dropped three of their last four games, which dates back to the series finale against the Brewers on Sunday at American Family Field that they lost 4-0. Despite all of this, the Cubs are still have a three-game lead in the NL Central with a 22-16 record through their first 38 games of the young season.

Production has come all over the place in the lineup so far this year, as the Cubs have one of the best offenses in all of baseball. They scored nine runs in their lone victory against the Giants this week, and the order’s ability to execute at a high rate will win them plenty of more contests down the stretch when it matters the most.

One of the biggest surprises for the team so far this year has come from the catching position. The two guys who have worked in there have come up clutch multiple times, and one of them has made tremendous strides in his defensive game.

Miguel Amaya has improved behind the plate for the Chicago Cubs

Miguel Amaya’s work behind the dish has not gone unnoticed so far in 2025. The 26-year-old finished the 2024 campaign in the 20th percentile for Caught Stealing Above Average across the league and was known as a liability at times behind the plate. Fast forward to this year, and Amaya has jumped up to the 86th percentile in the category.

Amaya need to take a big step forward defensively to prove to the front office that he is capable of throwing runners out consistently and he has done so. Highly regarded catching prospect Moises Ballesteros remains in Triple-A, where he has been crushing the ball so far this season. It appears that Ballesteros will have to wait his turn with how successful Amaya and Carson Kelly have been behind the plate to begin the campaign.

The Chicago Cubs have a great catching tandem in Amaya and Kelly

Along with their stellar defense, there isn’t a better catching duo at the plate right now in all baseball than Amaya and Kelly. Amaya is slashing .257/.284/.471 with an .755 OPS in 20 games thus season. He has driven in 16 runs and has three homers to his name, including the huge game-tying solo shot against the Dodgers with two outs in ninth inning in the comeback victory at home on April 22.

Kelly has been a true revelation across the entire league in 2025. The veteran is slashing an eye-popping .348/.488/.773 with a staggering 1.261 OPS in his 22 games played and 66 at-bats. Kelly has eight home runs and 23 runs driven in, making the two-year deal he signed in the offseason look like a steal for the Cubs front office.