One of the underrated trade deadline targets this year could be a former Diamondbacks starting catcher. Carson Kelly, who was the team’s primary backstop for the 2019-2022 seasons, is enjoying a nice bounceback year for the Detroit Tigers. His hot bat has gotten him more playing time opportunities in Detroit, although he could be moving on to a different team at the deadline.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Kelly was the key centerpiece in the deal that sent franchise icon Paul Goldschmidt to the St. Louis Cardinals in December 2018. A legitimate backstop who excelled on both sides of the ball, he broke out for a nice first season in Arizona with a .245/.348/.476 slash line with a franchise-record 18 home runs at catcher.
Injuries prevented him from taking the next step with the Diamondbacks. Between 2020 and 2023, Kelly hit .222 with 27 home runs and a .662 OPS. Most of that damage came in a 2021 season that started as a possible breakout and ended with frustrating injuries. In that time he suffered a broken toe, a fractured wrist, a strained oblique, and a fractured forearm. After Gabriel Moreno established himself as the primary backstop last season, the team elected to part ways.
Following his release by Arizona, Kelly signed a major league deal with the Tigers. Even though his offensive struggles continued, they tendered him a contract in the offseason, earning $3.5 million in his final year of salary arbitration. In 55 games with the Tigers, Kelly is batting .247 with seven home runs and a 106 OPS+, the highest mark of his career since that breakout 2019 season.
It makes a lot of sense for the Tigers to shop Kelly around at the deadline. He’s a free agent after the 2024 season and is in line for a fairly nice deal to be a starting catcher for some team in the winter. It’s unlikely he’ll receive a qualifying offer, so it would be in the Tigers’ best interest to make a deal happen and get something rather than nothing.
The Diamondbacks don’t make a lot of sense as a trade suitor for Kelly. While the team is in position to be potential buyers, starting the second half just a game out of a Wild Card spot, catcher is one position they don’t need to address. They’re content with their current combination of Gabriel Moreno as the primary starter and José Herrera as the backup.
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Michael McDermott covers the Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Cardinals, and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @MichaelMcDMLB
