The Rangers are acquiring catcher Carson Kelly from the Tigers to strengthen their catching situation. In exchange, Texas will send catching prospect Liam Hicks and right-handed pitching prospect Tyler Owens to Detroit. Both teams have confirmed the trade.
Kelly, 30, was signed by the Tigers in August of last year after being designated for assignment by the Diamondbacks. Originally a second-round pick by the Cardinals in 2012, Kelly was highly regarded and part of the trade for Paul Goldschmidt in 2019. His first three years with the Diamondbacks were solid, posting a .239/.333/.435 slash line, but his performance declined in 2022 and 2023, with a disappointing .226/.283/.298 line in 32 games before his DFA.
After joining the Tigers, Kelly struggled initially but improved significantly. In 2024, he’s been Detroit’s primary catcher, hitting .242/.327/.393 with a 106 wRC+ and showing excellent defensive metrics in blocking, control of the running game, and framing. Given his strong all-around performance and relatively low remaining salary, Kelly is an appealing option on the market.
The Rangers’ acquisition of Kelly is intended to bolster their catching position, which has been lackluster this season. Jonah Heim, an All-Star in 2023, has struggled offensively, hitting .234/.281/.346 in 90 games. Backup Andrew Knizner has been ineffective, posting a .167/.183/.211 line with a wRC+ of 4. Kelly’s addition will upgrade the catching position and allow Heim to manage his workload while addressing his offensive struggles.
To acquire Kelly, the Rangers are parting with two Double-A prospects. Tyler Owens, the more prominent of the two, was previously traded from the Braves to the Rangers in January. The 23-year-old right-hander has a strong fastball, slider, and cutter but has faced command issues. This season, he has a 2.80 ERA in 35 1/3 innings as a multi-inning reliever, striking out 24.5% of batters faced and walking 6.5%. He could be promoted to Triple-A by the Tigers before the season ends.
Liam Hicks, also heading to Detroit, is a Double-A catcher known for his on-base skills. He had an impressive stint in the Arizona Fall League and has maintained a solid on-base percentage in Double-A this season. While he lacks power and has received mixed reviews defensively, Hicks could serve as useful catching depth in the near future.
With Kelly’s departure, the Tigers are likely to give significant playing time to Dillon Dingler, their #10 prospect according to Baseball America. Dingler, who has shown strong defensive skills and power potential, struggled with contact issues but has improved this season with a .308/.379/.559 line and a 137 wRC+ in Double-A. He is expected to split catching duties with Jake Rogers, who has struggled offensively but remains a strong defensive asset.
