The Chicago Cubs are reportedly looking to acquire a catcher before the MLB trade deadline. This is a clear position of need for the team, but they will face competition from other teams also seeking to bolster their catching ranks.
There aren’t many catchers available who can make a significant impact, but the Cubs’ front office has a few targets in mind. According to David Kaplan, as shared by Cubs Insider, Chicago has discussed trading for catcher ElÃas DÃaz.
“David Kaplan first reported, and @HotStoveCubbies confirmed, that the Cubs have had talks with the Rockies about ElÃas DÃaz and may have also discussed Danny Jansen with the Blue Jays. This could support the idea that the front office is considering significant moves if they’re already making smaller ones.”
In a trade proposal from Matt Johnson of Sportsnaut, the Cubs would acquire the Colorado Rockies’ All-Star catcher, ElÃas DÃaz. The deal would involve sending Haydn McGeary, considered a top 15 prospect in the organization by most rankings, to the Rockies.
Johnson commented on the Cubs’ farm system, noting that while they may not have the depth to add a high-end bat with multiple years of control, they could still benefit from acquiring the best available catcher at the trade deadline. He mentioned that despite the Cubs potentially having the best farm system in baseball, they might not want to make a huge splash but could still benefit from DÃaz’s addition. DÃaz is having the best season of his career, slashing .303/.352/.439 with five home runs and an OPS+ of 118.
The Cubs would be taking a risk by banking on DÃaz to continue his career-best performance, especially given he’s 33 years old. However, their offense, which ranks in the bottom half in nearly every major hitting statistic, needs improvement. If this trade could benefit them, it’s a risk worth taking.
McGeary, while an interesting prospect, has struggled in Double-A this season, making him expendable with a .183/.253/.320 slash line in 153 at-bats in 2024.
