Is Chicago Cubs Catcher Deserving Candidate for NL All-Star Starting Spot?

The Chicago Cubs have been incredibly productive at the plate, possessing the most prolific offense in baseball averaging 5.74 runs per game.

They have needed every bit of that production with their pitching staff not consistently getting the job done on the mound. Injuries and ineffectiveness have derailed them, but the offense has been more than capable of making up the slack.

Multiple players have stepped up and produced at an incredible level, including their major offseason acquisition, right fielder Kyle Tucker.

He has been everything the team had hoped for and more, anchoring the lineup and setting the tone for his teammates to follow.

Several have, including center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, who has emerged as one of the best two-way players in the MLB.

He is arguably the best defensive player in the league and is now providing the kind of offensive production to match, putting him in the NL MVP discussion and looking like a shoo-in for the NL All-Star Team.

The Cubs are going to be well represented at the Midsummer Classic and one of the players who should be joining Crow-Armstrong and Tucker is catcher Carson Kelly.

Carson Kelly Should Be in NL All-Star Team Starting Lineup

Signed to a two-year, $11.5 million deal this offseason, not much was thought of his addition. But, he has been providing the team with incredible production behind the plate and has been the best catcher in the NL in 2025.

“Of note, Herrera’s BABIP is an unsustainable .373, and Smith’s is an even-higher .387 — you could make the argument that Kelly is having the best season by any NL catcher.

So I will. He is. Put him in the All-Star game,” wrote Levi Weaver of The Athletic (subscription required).

Kelly has cooled off since a red-hot first month of the season, but is still on pace for several career-highs with the tweaks made to his swing and stance paying dividends.

He has produced a .268/.385/.528 slash line with nine home runs, three doubles, one triple and 24 RBI. His plate discipline has improved immensely, drawing 23 walks compared to only 20 strikeouts.

Kelly has some elite metrics on Baseball Savant and should be recognized accordingly with at least a spot on the NL All-Star Team, if not being a starter.