Cubs catching prospect Miguel Amaya is expected to require Tommy John surgery, according to Jordan Bastian of MLB.com. Bastian says the team believes the surgery is “imminent”. Patrick Mooney of The Athletic adds that Amaya “is expected to undergo Tommy John surgery and begin a rehab program next month.”
Regardless of when the surgery eventually takes place, it’s unfortunate news for the Cubs as Amaya is one of the organization’s top prospects. FanGraphs, Baseball America and MLB Pipeline all have the 22-year-old within the top eight on their respective lists of Cubs prospects, with MLB Pipeline having him as high as number four within the organization.
Amaya was added to the team’s 40-man roster two years ago, in order to protect him from that year’s Rule 5 draft. At the time, he had only climbed as far as High-A, but the club felt good enough about his future to give him a roster spot despite his distance from the majors. The Panamanian has often gotten high grades for controlling the running game, as well as a patient approach as a hitter. In 2019, his 13.2% walk rate and 16.8% strikeout rate both pointed to a hitter with a competent eye and mature approach at the plate. The pandemic wiped out the minor league season in 2020, but Amaya seemed to be continuing on course in 2021. In 23 Double-A games, his walk rate jumped to an incredible 19.8%, although his strikeout rate also ticked up a bit, finishing at 20.8%. Despite a .215 batting average and just a single home run, he still managed a wRC+ of 117. He last played on June 3, being sidelined with the forearm strain that has led to the upcoming surgery. Unfortunately for Amaya, he will now have his progressed stalled until he can return to health.
The Cubs will now have to make a decision on how to handle Amaya’s roster situation in 2022, given that he’s unlikely to play much, if at all. He’s already used up two of his three option years, meaning he would be out of options if he is kept on the minor league injured list for the next year. Alternatively, they could recall Amaya and place him on the major league IL. That would allow the club to retain an option that could be used in 2023, but Amaya would be entitled to major league pay and service time for as long as he is on the IL. (Unless, of course, the rules are changed in the next CBA.)
The Cubs are set to have Willson Contreras behind the dish in 2022, in what will be his last season of team control. He and Amaya are the only two catchers currently on the team’s 40-man roster. If they turn to the free agent market to find a backup to Contreras, they will be perusing a class with very limited options.
Amaya doesn’t hit much….
He’s been around a 115 wRC+ at every level for the last 3 years. For a defense first, catching prospect consistently young for his level, that’s pretty darn good. This definitely hurts his timetable. He was looking at an early 2023 call up, that will definitely not happen now.
Thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.
Get well… get well soon.
Time to move on……overhyped, never produced can’t keep him on the 40 man.
He’s 22, dude.
Sure he’s 22 but the article reads like he’s a minor league free agent at end of next season if he is not on the major league roster then. Considering he won’t play again until 2023 he might already be done in the organization.
Nice to see someone else that reads the actual article. Amaya projected ceiling now is a defensive first catcher with a career MiLB average of .240.
A “career” MILB avg of .240 for a 22 yr old player who lost an entire year of developmental time in 2020 (as did all other minor leaguers) due to the pandemic. Yeah, he’s “so overhyped”. A wRC+ of 117, yeah he’s such a “bust”.
Average is the only stat that matters.
Just looked at this article, and found the comments amusing. It’s pretty clear that no one passing judgement on the young mans situation has ever seen him play. I sure haven’t. I never even heard of him.
But this concept of latching onto one stat and coming to a conclusion is something I see here a lot. I think it’s best to put things into perspective…..
o “…lost an entire year of developmental time in 2020 (as did all other minor leaguers).”
Of course. And that includes minor league pitchers.
o “In 23 Double-A games (2021), his walk rate jumped to an incredible 19.8%…..”
I’ve seen quite a few minor league games. The thing is – pitchers are often working on developing their pitches. Many of them throw wildly and most of them never sniff the major leagues. It’s not the most difficult thing for a batter to wait out walks in the minor leagues. A fairly easy statistic to pad.
Now a batter walking may “create more runs”…..if his teammates do something productive before and/or after him. And “creating runs” is the prime component of the wRC+ statistic.
I’m not knocking young Mr. Amaya. Statistics do a poor job in representing the skills of a Catcher behind the plate – 1) Calling a game; 2) Handling pitchers; and 3) Playing defense. Today there is a dire shortage of Catchers in the major leagues that do those things well. A guy can hit .056 with a .080 OPS and be a major contributor to his teams winning.
I’d suggest that Mr. Amaya will remain in professional baseball – with the Cubs or with another organization. What happened to him is unfortunate, but in no way does it disqualify him as a future quality ML Catcher. We all have things we work through when we were/are young adults. Anyone writing off a human being because of a bad break apparently has lived a charmed life…….so far.
milb.tv is decent for watching minor league games. Even youtube is good for just getting eyes on a guy’s swing, movements, etc. He’s a fairly prominent prospect. Not hard to see him play if you want,
You guys talk as if the right thing to do is to release him… He could still be developed as a backup with good defense. Best thing the Cubs can do is rehab him and see how he comes back.
Another Flubs bust.
Another Sox troll
Pete –
You are (were) my Mother’s favorite player.
@Pete love: your real life lover, the “WSucks” Fan (he said his “mother” somewhat like she loves you or likes you, whatever) in someway blocked me to reply to his comments. The old geriatric flub couldn’t stand the pressure. Let’s from now on goof around the other unfortunate White Sucks fan, PeteLoser, who have to feel ashamed about the fact that the White Sucks “window” only lasted a year, (maybe another one this forthcoming season, but not beyond that). Yes, you have a very little nice bullpen, but lack of above “good” starting pitchers. That ‘s why if you don’t get yourselves a top of rotation’s 1st and 2nd starter, (which you will not, nobody wants to play there), the Central Division would be hard to reach. If by any means, playing in that mediocre nowdays AL Central division, there’s a way they can get with the first place, (which maybe they will), Sucks arent’ to excpect more than winning one game in an ALDS. In the meanwhile, Tigers are getting packed and have themselves pretty good young starters, and may acquire some good free agents. In a couple of years the White Sox, sorry, White Sucks would have to be more that happy to finish with a wild card, in where they will not get beyond that Wild Card game. And that is a fact.
The Cubs really screwed up on making a decision to have Amaya’ surgery. Amaya should have had surgery in July or August the latest.
Wouldn’t have mattered, he still would have missed this season.
How do you know several doctors screwed up when you haven’t even seen his MRI results?
Isn’t that what you’re supposed to say in a lawsuit?
Honestly they’ve cut so much payroll his talent is worth keeping him around at the MLB minimum. Teams waste that on failed bullpen and bench experiments constantly. A young catching prospect with his upside and the ability to retain an option year is absolutely worth the price of admission in this case.
Even if they didn’t cut, he’d be worth a roster spot to give them the extra option.
Always liked the guy, hope he gets through it and we can see him in a few years!
Shouldn’t be out too long into the season.
Now a really hope the cubs aren’t stupid enough to trade Contreras. Now more than ever.
Cubbies would be insane if they did! Good catcher, leader and Willison wants to stay!
The Cubs should sign La Tortuga Astudillo from the Twins. I mean he can’t really play any one position very well but it would be funny to see him waddle out to catch for Contreras days off and pitch in some of the many blowout the Cubs will have next year.
Not to mention he’d provide speed on the basepaths.
Wouldn’t waste a roster spot on him.
We’ll trade the “Yerminator” for Madrigal.
Cubs need a 2nd catcher.
@619. Astudillo was just released by the Twins on 11/23. He is a free agent now.
I realize that and I made it sound like he was still with the Twins. lol
Do it Theo!!!
Bummer!
Campusano or Nola available…what do you got Cubs?
Yu Darvish and Victor Caratini
Rock and a hard place: The Cubs will be losing their top near MLB ready catching prospect for 2022 in an offseason where Willson Contreras is their best trade chip as he heads into his final season as an arbitration eligible before potentially hitting free agency next winter.
If they can’t extend Contreras they are going to have to trade him regardless of what happens to Amaya… They can still get someone like Yan Gomes for the short term.
Phooey. You get serious about negotiating an extension with Contreras, the best catcher they’ve had in 30+ years, if not longer. The team went through about 7 back up catchers last season due to repeated injuries, so competent backups can be found.
Jody Davis was the King of Wrigley field.
Okay, Cubbie Nation:
What are the chances, honestly, of the Cubs trading Contreras with Amaya being out?
I hops zero now. Honestly I think it wasn’t smart to entertain a trade.
Yeah, I certainly understand why; and it’s the same reason I hope they entertain it and the Yankees pay the price for him. He’s a great catcher and I love the way he plays the game with intensity, from everything I’ve seen anyway.
Pretty sure he would qualify for a fourth option.
“Hello, you’ve reached the voicemail of Ross Atkins, Toronto Bkue Jays General Manager. You’re probably calling about our depth at the Catcher Position, Leave a message with your best offer…” -beep-