Chicago Cubs Found Stunning Offensive Force in New Backup Catcher

The Chicago Cubs have a very capable back up catcher, and he is off to an extremely hot start.

Apr 18, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs catcher Carson Kelly (15) rounds the bases after hitting a three-run home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the eight inning at Wrigley Field. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs are off to an amazing start to the 2025 season all things considered. They are 14-9 and they have had to play some of the best teams in baseball.

A big reason for their hot start is their play at the plate.

The Cubs are slashing .264/.436/.462 as a team with 34 home runs and 143 runs scored. In fact, they lead the entire MLB in runs scored, OPS (.806) and walks drawn (95).

Players like Kyle Tucker, Seiya Suzuki and Michael Busch are all playing well. But there is one newcomer that is flying under the radar with his hot start.

Carson Kelly was signed this offseason to a two-year deal worth $11.5 million. It was meant to be as a backup role to Miguel Amaya, but he is proving to be a lot more valuable when he is in the lineup.

The veteran backstop is slashing .419/.578/1.097 with six home runs, 18 RBI, 12 runs scored, 12 walks drawn and just four strikeouts in 11 games played. Perhaps more impressively, Kelly hit for the first Cubs' cycle in decades when the team swept the Athletics.

Now, the stats are eventually going to even themselves out. He will not hit over .400 all season, and there will no doubt be a cold streak at some point. But his 1.5 WAR at this point in the year is as good as it gets.

Amaya, his counterpart, is slashing .283/.292/.478, so Kelly has not earned the starting spot outright. However, he has definitely earned the opportunity to play three or four times a week.

Per Baseball Savant, Kelly has an expected batting average of .368, meaning he is not just getting lucky with his hits. His average exit velocity (93.5), barrel percentage (21.4%), hard-hit percentage (60.7%) and squared up percentage (27.0%) are also well above the Major League average.

The former second-round pick has been serviceable defensively, as well. He ranks in the 63rd percentile in blocks above average, 71st percentile in caught stealing above average and his pop time is very quick. Framing remains an issue, but he has made up for that tenfold.

Chicago did not expect this type of production from the 30-year-old, but it is the type of production they needed. Kelly has made a difference in plenty of games this season already.

In fact, in the Cubs' historic win over the Arizona Diamondbacks Friday afternoon, Kelly launched two home runs.

As mentioned, the production Chicago is seeing from the hometown kid is not going to last throughout the whole season. For now, the team is going to enjoy Kelly's MVP-type start to the year.