Insider Links Chicago Cubs To Five Catchers As Possible Trade Targets

The Chicago Cubs could use some help at catcher and an insider has linked five potential trade options.

Jun 1, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Oakland Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers (23) hits a single against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at Truist Park. / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Cubs have been stuck in a brutal rut over the past month. After an impressive start to the season, the team has completely fallen apart.

Right now, the Cubs hold a 33-35 record and are still very much in the race for the playoffs. However, if the season continues as it has been going recently, Chicago will not be in the race for too much longer.

One of the biggest issues for the Cubs this year has been a lack of quality play from the catcher position. Recently, manager Craig Counsell brutally called out the catchers for their poor performances.

Amid the struggles from both Yan Gomes and Miguel Amaya, there has been a lot of speculation that Chicago could look to trade for a catcher upgrade before the late-July MLB trade deadline.

Jim Bowden of The Athletic recently took a look at what the Cubs need to do before then. The catcher position was his first point of need as well.

"The Cubs have had almost no offensive production from their catchers as Miguel Amaya has hit .191 with two home runs and Yan Gomes .153 with two homers."

How could Chicago potentially fix their catcher problems?

Bowden listed five potential catchers who the Cubs could attempt to trade for ahead of the deadline.

Elias Diaz, MJ Melendez, Connor Wong, Shea Langeliers, and Danny Jansen were the five players he suggested as potential targets.

Chicago has been previously connected to Jansen. He would be an instant upgrade and likely would not break the bank in a potential trade.

The Cubs have also been heavily linked to Diaz.

Any of the five options Bowden mentioned would be better than what Chicago is currently dealing with. Neither Gomes or Amaya have shown any sign of life. The struggles have been consistent for both of them all season long.

Jed Hoyer will need to decide whether or not he truly believes the Cubs can compete this season. If he does, he'll need to get aggressive to fix the issues.

All of that being said, the clock is ticking on the front office to get Chicago back into contention.

Fans are getting restless, and after paying big money for Counsell, they need to give him a roster to compete.

Going after a better catcher would be the first step towards getting back into the thick of the playoff race. They could also use some pitching help and potentially another big bat as well.

Things are about to get interesting within the friendly confines of Wrigley Field.