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Miguel Amaya has been one of the brightest prospects in the Cubs system for several seasons. He played in the Futures Game in both 2018 and 2019 and has been a Top-100 prospect for the last two years.
He missed all but 23 games of the 2021 season at Double-A Tennessee and now we know why:
Cubs believe that Tommy John surgery is imminent for catching prospect Miguel Amaya, per multiple sources. Timetable TBD. Tough blow for Chicago’s No. 4-ranked @MLBPipeline prospect. Missed last few months of ‘21 season with what was initially described as right forearm strain.
— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) November 23, 2021
The timetable might be “TBD,” but this likely means Amaya misses all of the 2022 season from the surgery — even if it’s done soon — and rehab, and should be ready to go to begin 2023 spring training.
This sets his development back, obviously, starting 2023 having played only 23 games in the last three years (missing all of 2020 with no minor league season). Still, at only 24 entering the 2023 season, Amaya could still have a good MLB career.
What this does do, I think, is make it a bit more urgent to give Willson Contreras a contract extension. The Cubs don’t have an obvious replacement for Contreras now, and Amaya is going to have to play 2023 at Triple-A, most likely.
I’d say “as always, we await developments,” but you already know that. I hope the next development is a contract extension for Contreras.