'He's awesome': Kelly making a strong impression on Taillon, Cubs

MESA, Ariz. -- Jameson Taillon was quick to fire off a text to Carson Kelly after the Cubs signed the veteran catcher in December, expressing excitement over working together. That process has been in full swing this spring, with Kelly making a point to handle a bulk of the starter’s workload.

Given catcher Miguel Amaya already has a strong rapport with Taillon, Kelly has teamed with the big righty for bullpen sessions and live batting practice workouts. On Tuesday, Kelly was behind the plate again for Taillon’s two-inning Cactus League debut in a 4-2 win over the D-backs at Sloan Park.

“He’s awesome,” Taillon said of Kelly. “He’s very curious and asking a lot of great questions, like, ‘What do you like to hear in a mound visit?’ or, ‘What are things that get you back on track?’ He’s already working really hard at the relationship. He’s really good back there.”

Amaya seized the top catching role last season and there is nothing to suggest he could not again wind up handling the majority of the innings this year, but the Cubs wanted an experienced safety net going into 2025. Chicago found it in the 30-year-old Kelly, who has a nine-year Major League resume and inked a two-year, $11.5 million pact with the Cubs.

Kelly and Amaya project to be in a timeshare to begin this season, allowing manager Craig Counsell to really weigh rest days, offensive matchups, rapport with pitchers and the opposing running game while making the lineup. At the same time, the 25-year-old Amaya can continue his development with the help of an established backstop.

“Look, we felt like we wanted to create just a strong catching duo,” Counsell said. “Both guys, we feel like are capable of handling the bigger share if we have to. And if one guy grabs it, then we’re fine with that.”

Kelly understood the catching landscape when he signed.

“I did a little bit of that last year in Detroit,” Kelly said of splitting the innings behind the plate. “And you see it more around the league, too. I think as a player, you want to be in there and play as much as you possibly can, right? But at the same time, you get to root for the other guy, you keep guys fresh.

“I want to play 162 games, but the reality is catchers don’t do that. And I think we both complement each other very, very well. It’s been a lot of fun this spring to work with Miggy.”

Kelly said Amaya has been a great resource for getting up to speed on the Cubs’ staff.

“[Amaya] brings energy and already has relationships with guys in the room,” Kelly said. “I’m learning from him, watching his game and seeing how I can take things from what he does well and apply it to my game.”

In Tuesday’s win -- one that pushed the Cubs to a 6-0 record in Cactus League play -- Kelly launched a solo homer in the fifth inning off D-backs lefty Kyle Nelson. Over the course of his career, Kelly has shown the knack for some pop, most notably in his 2019 season (.826 OPS and 18 homers in 111 games) for Arizona.

Before Amaya’s turnaround in the second half of 2024 (.760 OPS in 50 games), the catching position was an offensive hole within Chicago’s lineup. The hope is that Kelly’s track record, combined with Amaya’s in-season progress, can help the Cubs shore up that aspect of the offense in ‘25.

Kelly is also a plus defender, having posted a Fielding Run Value of four this past year, when he had nine homers and a .687 OPS in 91 games overall. The veteran catcher logged four caught-stealing runs above average, three blocking runs above average and one framing run in 2024 between his stints with the Tigers (60 games) and Rangers (31 games).

“I think Carson’s a catcher kind of in the prime of his career, frankly,” Counsell said. “And I think he’s also really eager to just be a teammate and be a part of the team and do his job for the team, whatever that may be. That’s noticeable right away.

“Now, his job is just to try to daily learn as much as he can, so he can have great relationships with his pitchers and understand his pitchers.”

Taillon has already witnessed that firsthand this spring.

“It really starts here,” Taillon said, “when we’re seeing each other every day and eating breakfast together and throwing ‘pens and all that. It’s easier when you’re around ball to talk ball.”