The Chicago Cubs have acquired catcher Miguel Montero from the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday, per multiple reports.
Cubs acquire Miguel Montero from Diamondbacks for 2 minor league pitchers
The Cubs are close to landing catcher Miguel Montero in a trade with the Diamondbacks, according to reports.
The deal is pending a physical for Montero, per Carrie Muskat of MLB.com, and was first reported as nearly complete on Monday night by Jon Morosi and Ken Rosenthal, both of Fox Sports.
The D-backs shed themselves of the $40 million remaining on Montero’s contract over the next three years, and also acquire minor league pitchers Jeferson Mejia and Zack Godley, per Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic.
The Cubs have been in search of catching options this offseason and just missed out on free agent Russell Martin before he agreed to a five-year deal with the Blue Jays. With Welington Castillo the team's current starter behind the dish, Montero would provide the Cubs with some added depth at the position.
The 31-year-old Montero hit .243/.329/.370 with 13 home runs in 2014 and has seen his performance at the plate decline in the last two seasons. He batted just .230/.318/.344 in 2013 and has posted an OPS below .700 in back-to-back years after averaging .817 from 2009 to 2012.
Still, Montero would be an upgrade over Castillo, whose defense is a big question mark. His offense also stagnated this past season, and Castillo has never played more than 113 games in a single campaign since debuting in the majors in 2010.
Montero is owed $12 million next season before earning $14 million in 2016 and again in 2017. With the Cubs’ rebuilding project coming to an end and a bevy of young talent set to arrive soon at Wrigley Field, Montero would join a team that hopes to begin contending again soon in the NL Central.
Mejia, 20, had a 2.48 ERA in 12 games, including two starts, in the rookie-level Arizona League in 2014, with 45 strikeouts and 17 walks in 40 innings. Godley, drafted by the Cubs in the 10th round in 2013, was 4-3 with a 3.09 ERA in 40 relief appearances between Class-A Kane County and Advanced Class-A Daytona, with 52 strikeouts and 17 walks in 40 innings last year.
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