Cubs Sign Veteran Catcher Right Before Rosters Expand, Will They Use Him?

The Chicago Cubs are adding some renforcements for the home stretch of the regular season.

According to the team's transaction log, the organization has inked veteran catcher Austin Wynns to a minor league deal. The 35-year-old will immediately head to Triple-A Iowa, becoming the fourth catcher on their current roster.

Wynns comes to the Cubs after spending 2026 with three different organizations. He started the year with the Athletics before finding his way to the Atlanta Braves. Wynn would then end up with the Texas Rangers, where he appeared in 14 games before being designated for assignment on August 18.

Overall, Wynns has appeared in 34 MLB contests this season, which comes one year after he played in 40 games. While he's never been a primary starting catcher in the Majors, Wynns is in his eighth season of big-league action and has a total of 313 games under his belt. It's likely this experience that drew the Cubs to Wynn at this point in the season.

Speaking of which, the signing comes at a pretty fascinating time. Rosters are about to expand, and we all know teams are typically looking to add a third catcher in September. Might this be a sign that Wynn will be in a Cubs uniform sooner rather than later? If not, does it mean one of the Cubs' other Triple-A backstops is about to get the call?

What Do Cubs Have Planned at Catcher?

Jul 28, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Texas Rangers catcher Austin Wynns (38) runs the bases after hitting a home run against the Tampa Bay Rays in the seventh inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

First of all, the Chicago Cubs needed more depth at the catcher position. If any injury occurred to either Carson Kelly or Miguel Amaya down the stretch (*knocks on metaphorical wood*), they essentially had only Owen Ayers and Ethan Hearn as options. Neither has even made their MLB debut.

There has at least been some rumbling that Ayers could be ready for the moment. He has skyrocketed up the farm system this season, becoming the Cubs' No. 2 prospect in the process, per MLB Pipeline. Now could be a perfect time to get his feet wet in the majors before potentially making him a full-time roster member in 2027.

Speaking of which, Carson Kelly will hit free agency in a matter of months. With how well he's played in recent years, there is a good chance that another team hands him the kind of offer that makes the Cubs uncomfortable. Not to mention, the mere fact that Ayers is playing as well as he is will make the Cubs even more inclined to keep a strict price.

Is this the right time for development, though? The Cubs are in a heated playoff race and viewed as a true World Series contender. While there may be some benefits to having Ayers live an MLB life for a few weeks, the Cubs may not be able to give him the attention he deserves.

Conversely, Wynns knows the ropes. The Cubs wouldn't have to keep an extra eye on him, and Craig Counsell may even feel better about using him at a time when Kelly or Amaya might need some extra rest. To be sure, Wynns isn't some kind of big weapon at the position, hitting only .230 over his career with a .618 OPS. But he's a solid defenseman who's been in a slew of situations.

We'll have an answer on what the Cubs plan to do soon enough. The good news is that – as long as everyone stays healthy – this should be a rather low-stakes decision. Either go with the veteran insurance, or give a promising prospect a taste of the bigs. You can't go wrong.

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