Report: Cubs ready to have Ayers as backup catcher

Ayers had a breakout season in 2026, hitting .289/.403/.526 with 25 home runs and 13 steals across 125 games split between Double-A and Triple-A. He did hit just .247/.365/.356 in 49 games at Triple-A, but he posted an over 15 percent walk rate and continued to make consistent contact despite the low batting average. Amaya has battled injuries in his career and has never topped 363 plate appearances in a season, so Ayers would be a name to watch if he does indeed land the backup catcher job.

The Japanese high schooler is a highly sought-after free agent who has already met with the Rangers, Phillies, Mets, Blue Jays, and Cardinals. The 18-year-old was recently selected with the 10th overall pick in the Nippon Professional Baseball draft, but he has expressed a desire to play for an MLB team. His fastball runs into the mid-90s, and he also has a slider, curve, cutter, and splitter. He garnered national attention in the U-18 World Cup, where he struck out seven against Chinese Taipei. Since Oda would be an international free agent, he would be signed to a minor league deal, and his contract would be limited to how much money a team has in its bonus pool, much like we saw with Roki Sasaki two years ago.

The Yankees are looking to replace Ryan McMahon at third base and, according to Heyman, are prioritizing a right-handed bat. Bohm had a down year in 2025, slashing .249/.315/.383 with 15 home runs and 88 RBI. It was the first time since 2021 that he hit lower than .274 in a full MLB season. He also posted a -8 Outs Above Average at third base and had a -2 in 2025, so there could be some defensive concerns the Yankees will need to account for. That said, Bohm has always hit for a high batting average and could drive in a good number of runs if he hits in the bottom third of the Yankees lineup.

Kopech has not pitched in a game since 2025, when he missed a chunk of the season after knee surgery. He reportedly had interest from some teams last offseason, but a variety of injuries, including rumored shoulder and elbow injuries, kept him on the sideline. The 30-year-old should command a good deal of interest if he looks good in his throwing session.

Sato has been a primary third baseman in Japan and even won an NPB Gold Glove a couple of years ago. There have been some concerns about his defense, but the expectation was that he could move to first base if necessary, so hearing teams see him as an outfielder is intriguing. Rosenthal also notes that Sato “might command a nine-figure deal.” However, he is expected to have plenty of interest, including from the Diamondbacks, who Rosenthal notes are “doing their due diligence” on the Japanese slugger.

Having an interest in doing it and actually doing it are two separate things, but it’s noteworthy that Tampa Bay is at least considering extending Rasmussen. The 31-year-old will be entering the final year of his contract in 2027. He has been exceptional for the Rays, but he will also be 32 years old when he hits free agency and has had three elbow surgeries in his career, so he does pose a risk on a long-term contract. It remains to be seen if Tampa Bay is willing to take that gamble.

Keller saw his ERA jump to 5.29 and his strikeout rate shrink to 18 percent in 22 starts before going on the IL last season. It’s the fourth straight year that his ERA has been over 4.00, and the third straight in which his strikeout rate has declined. The Pirates are hopeful he’ll turn things around as he enters the fourth year of a five-year, $77 million contract, but it just doesn’t seem like that’s a lot to be optimistic about.

Pagán, who has a 3.07 ERA and 57 saves the last two years, gets a slight raise after turning down a $10 million player option to stay with the Reds. He steps in as the current favorite to save for the Tigers, though it certainly sounded like they intended to add more than one reliever.

The hard-throwing Lagrange was moved to the pen in Triple-A in June in the hopes that he could help as a reliever in the second half, but he went down in a shoulder sprain at the beginning of July and returned for just one appearance in September. Control issues make him a big question mark as a starter, but he is a big-time talent. The Yankees could always shift him back to the pen if he fails to progress.

Weiss had his $5 million club option declined by the Astros at the end of October, and he didn’t take long to find a new club. The right-hander was atrocious in 2026 with a 7.62 ERA and 30/20 K/BB ratio over 26 innings before being designated for assignment. He’ll likely be handed a middle-inning role to begin 2027, but it’s worth noting that Weiss does have an option left so he’s not a lock to make San Diego out of spring training.