The Chicago Cubs remain firmly in the National League playoff picture entering the second half, with their focus shifting toward reinforcing the roster for a postseason push. But while the major league club continues to contend, several organizational depth pieces have quietly seen their time with the franchise come to an end.
One of those departures involved veteran backstop Eric Yang, whose opportunity with the Cubs organization was cut short after an injury limited his season.
Now the 28-year-old backstop has officially become a free agent.
Chicago Cubs Release Veteran Catcher After Injury Stint
The Cubs released Yang from their Triple-A roster shortly after he was placed on the seven-day injured list, according to his official MiLB player transactions page.
The release followed an abbreviated stint with the organization after Yang was acquired to provide experienced and much needed catching depth behind the plate shortly before the season began.
When the Cubs originally signed Yang following several years as a depth option in the Cincinnati Reds organization, the move was viewed primarily as providing some insurance, rather than as a decision to see Yang compete for immediate major league playing time.
“At 27, turning 28 soon, he’ll likely fill a similar minor league depth role with the Cubs, serving as experienced catching insurance at the upper levels,” Tyler Koerth wrote for ChiCitySports earlier this year. “Unless ongoing visa complications or injuries create an unexpected opportunity at the major league level, his primary value will come from providing stability and organizational depth behind the plate.”
Although he reached the big leagues briefly in 2024, Yang has spent most of his professional career working through the upper levels of the minor leagues.
“A seventh-round pick by the Cincinnati Reds in 2019, Yang has slowly developed through the Reds system and has reached AAA, where he continues to do what most Minor Leaguers do, which is grind away hoping for an opportunity,” Dustin Riese noted for CubsHQ. “Yang reached the majors in 2024, but has logged just one career at-bat, going 0-1 with a strikeout.”
Chicago Cubs Cut Ties With Veteran Catcher Shortly After Injury Setback
The Cubs’ expectations for Yang centered on his experience rather than immediate offensive production.
He was brought in amid some preseason questions surrounding the availability of Christian Bethancourt and Moises Ballesteros and it might have appeared to be a compelling opportunity for Yang. Instead, injuries prevented him from establishing himself in a minor-league catcher’s role, ultimately leading to his release before he could factor into the organization’s big-league plans.
For the Cubs, the move opens another roster spot at Triple-A while the front office continues evaluating depth options behind the plate during the playoff race. For Yang, it marks another turn in a professional career defined by perseverance after climbing from a seventh-round draft pick to a brief taste of the major leagues.