Cubs' Carson Kelly Aims to Regain Hitting Consistency

Catcher hopes offseason mechanical adjustments will lead to more production at the plate.

Apr. 4, 2026 at 11:43pm

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Cubs catcher Carson Kelly is looking to bounce back from a late-season slump in 2025 that saw his numbers dip after the All-Star break. Kelly used the offseason to address mechanical issues with his hand placement that he believes contributed to his struggles. The 11-year veteran is hoping the adjustments will help him regain the consistency that led to a career-best 3.6 WAR season in 2025.

Why it matters

Kelly's production is crucial to the Cubs' playoff hopes, as the team's lineup is formidable but could use the added boost his bat provides when he's locked in. The Cubs made the playoffs for the first time in Kelly's career last season, and he's eager to experience that feeling again.

The details

Kelly said his hands were getting into different positions during his swing, which threw off his timing and led to him being late on pitches. He believes having the technology to analyze his mechanics from different angles helped him identify and correct the issue. Though off to a slow start this season, Kelly's underlying metrics suggest better days are ahead if he can start turning his hard-hit balls into hits.

  • Kelly limped to the finish line in 2025, batting .218 with a .596 OPS after the All-Star break.
  • Kelly batted .179/.233/.286 in the Cubs' playoff run last season.

The players

Carson Kelly

An 11-year veteran catcher for the Chicago Cubs who posted a career-high 3.6 WAR in 2025, his first trip to the playoffs.

Miguel Amaya

The Cubs' backup catcher who appeared in only 28 games last season due to injuries, adding to the workload for Kelly.

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What they’re saying

“We're always looking for consistency, right? From a hitting standpoint, it's getting into the same position every time. And over the course of the year, my hands were getting into different spots, which created a late move and, overall, a snowball effect.”

— Carson Kelly, Cubs Catcher

“Then you look on camera, and you're like, 'That's completely different.' We have the technology to know our location in space and from different angles.”

— Carson Kelly, Cubs Catcher

“Having Miggy back is phenomenal for us. It was tough to see him go down [last season]. But he had a good offseason and came in ready to go, [as] you see from the early production, and I think that's something that's going to help this team.”

— Carson Kelly, Cubs Catcher

What’s next

Kelly and the Cubs will look to build on his strong underlying metrics as the season progresses, hoping the mechanical adjustments he made in the offseason will lead to more consistent production at the plate.

The takeaway

After a career-best season in 2025, Kelly is determined to regain the consistency that made him such a valuable contributor to the Cubs' playoff run. His ability to make the necessary adjustments and translate his hard-hitting ways into results will be crucial to the team's hopes of returning to the postseason.