The Chicago Cubs have released veteran player Reese McGuire. The 30-year-old catcher signed a minor league contract with the Cubs back in January and was in camp down in spring training competing for a roster spot. McGuire didn't make the team and began the regular season at Triple-A, where he's actually put up good numbers with the Iowa Cubs.
Yet, as the Cubs continue to get great production from Carson Kelly and Miguel Amaya, plus the recent addition of a third catcher in Moises Ballesteros, there wasn't much of a path for McGuire to get back to the majors in Chicago. So, he'll look for a better opportunity now that he's a free agent.
McGuire slashed .282/.366/.479, in 82 plate appearances during his time with the Iowa Cubs. He homered in his last game with the club on Thursday.
Kelly and Amaya have combined to slash .282/.370/.558, with 11 home runs and 41 RBI so far in 2025. After having one of the worst offensive performances from their catchers last year the Cubs currently have the best hitting catchers in MLB, as they've combined for a 158 wRC+. Kelly alone has already been worth 1.3 fWAR in 27 games.
Meanwhile, at Triple-A the Iowa Cubs are left with Carlos Perez and Caleb Knight as their catching tandem.
Cubs Sign Reese McGuire
The Chicago Cubs have added additional catcher depth, signing free agent Reese McGuire to a minor league deal.
The 29-year-old has been a career backup throughout his seven-year MLB career and while you can't count on much offense from McGuire he's been able to stick around in the big leagues thanks to his good defense behind the plate.
The Cubs and catcher Reese McGuire have agreed to a minor league deal, source tells @JustBB_Media
— Aram Leighton (@AramLeighton8) January 22, 2025
McGuire, 29, saw action in 53 games for the Red Sox, posting a .575 OPS while throwing out 25% of runners in 2024. He has a .664 career OPS over parts of 7 seasons.
Despite the bad offensive numbers McGuire has been a positive fWAR player in every year except for the shortened 2020 season. Back in 2021, he put up a 1.5 fWAR and then McGuire had a 1.4 fWAR in 2022.
McGuire is a good pitch framer and has thrown out 27.4% of base stealers in his career. The 29-year-old has a career slash line of .252/.300/.352, with 16 home runs in 1,038 plate appearances. He only hit .209, in 2024 with the Boston Red Sox, but in the previous two seasons McGuire did slash .268/.308/.365, an 85 wRC+, which is not terrible for your backup catcher.
The catcher is one of several non-roster invitees to spring training.
Cubs invite RHP Trevor Richards and C Reese McGuire to spring training after signing minor league deals.
— Bruce Levine (@MLBBruceLevine) January 28, 2025
So, McGuire joins veteran Carlos Perez as the depth options at catcher entering spring training for the Cubs. He's coming on a minor league deal, so there's no pressure to add him to the active roster on Opening Day. McGuire as your extra emergency catcher at Triple-A would be fine.
I mentioned the embarrassing arrest record and well, yeah it is. Back in 2020, McGuire was charged with a misdemeanor count of indecent exposure after he was found masturbating in his car in a shopping center parking lot in Dunedin, Florida.
He pleaded no contest to a charge of disorderly conduct and was fined $500.
McGuire has played for the Blue Jays, White Sox and Red Sox after being a first-round pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2013.
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