CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JUNE 05: Carson Kelly #15 of the Chicago Cubs at bat against the San Francisco Giants at Wrigley Field on June 05, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - APRIL 17: Carson Kelly #15 of the Chicago Cubs looks on against the New York Mets at Wrigley Field on April 17, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Cubs catcher Carson Kelly has reportedly declined his 7.5 million option for 2027 and will receive a 1.5 million buyout, becoming a free agent, according to Associated Press reporter Ronald Blum.
Kelly (age 32) hit for a .258/.336/.376 slash line with 10 home runs, 58 RBI's, and a .712 OPS. Kelly will now enter a free-agent market class that, for catchers, also includes Ryan Jeffers, Austin Hedges, Tyler Stephenson, Jonah Heim, to name a few.
Kelly was the Cubs' primary catcher in 2026, starting in 120 games, and catcher Miguel Amaya was the backup; he appeared in 83 games, posting a .237/.340/.377 slash line with 6 home runs and a .717 OPS in 2026. Kelly will now look for a new deal, potentially with a new club, for the 2027 season and possibly beyond.
GettyCHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JUNE 05: Carson Kelly #15 of the Chicago Cubs at bat against the San Francisco Giants at Wrigley Field on June 05, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Kelly fits the mold of teams searching for catching depth. As a right-handed hitter, Kelly posted very strong numbers against left-handed pitching in 2026. In 121 at-bats versus southpaws, Kelly hit .298/.375/.496496 slash line with 6 home runs, 24 RBI's, and an .871 OPS against left-handed pitching, according to ESPN.
Kelly has a lifetime .821 OPS in over 700 career plate appearances against left-handed pitchers, according to StatMuse. Perhaps Kelly could be a platoon option for teams such as the Yankees , who could be in the market for a right-handed hitting catcher this offseason. Kelly also didn't chase, whiff, or K much in 2026, as his percentages were all in the high 70th percentile among hitters, according to Baseball Savant.
As for his defensive metrics, Kelly's greatest skill in 2026 was his blocks, which were above average, posting a positive six and placing him in the 89th percentile among catchers, according to Baseball Savant. Kelly ranked about average in framing and below average in pop time, but he was well below average with a -4 caught-stealing percentage, according to Baseball Savant.
GettyCHICAGO, ILLINOIS – APRIL 17: Carson Kelly #15 of the Chicago Cubs looks on against the New York Mets at Wrigley Field on April 17, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Kelly originally signed a two-year contract in 2024 for 11.5 million, which included a mutual option he just declined. Kelly will certainly be looking for another multi-year deal on the market as he tests free agency this winter. He likely will land one, considering the role he has served in the Cubs' catching room over the last few seasons and this season specifically, from an offensive and defensive standpoint, when you look at his overall metrics and some of the underlying ones as well.
How this free-agent class as a whole plays out remains to be seen, with Major League Baseball's current CBA deal set to expire on December 1st at 11:59 PM E.T. If a new deal isn't reached before then, baseball will enter a lockout until Major League Baseball, its owners, and the players association, also known as the MLBPA, reach an agreement.
Every year, players choose whether to roll the dice in free agency and try to get greater market value in a contract if they think it's feasible. It will be interesting to see whether the lockout has any substantial impact on the free-agent market and/or the trade market.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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