The Cardinals and the infielder Ramón Urías they closed the deal, reports Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat. Details of the contract being discussed have not yet been reported. The Cards have a full 40-man roster and will have to make a corresponding move if this ends up being a major league deal for a CAA Sports client.
Urías, 32 in June, has been a solid player with multiple positions in six major league seasons. He spent most of that time with the Orioles, though he was traded to the Astros at last year’s deadline. He hit 1,856 home runs in the majors, nearly three full seasons, and hit 50 home runs in that span. His .257/.321/.403 batting line translates to a 104 wRC+, which is 4% above average overall.
His defense is stronger than his offense. He played third base but has spent time in other areas of the field. He’s probably stretched out as a shortstop but has gotten strong reviews for his work at the hot corner. He won the American League Gold Glove at that position in 2022, earning credit for 14 Defensive Runs Saved and Eight Outs Above Average. Fair enough, years since then, DRS is still considered a good defender but OAA has him below par. His performance in the main stone is well regarded, with 11 DRS and 2 OAA. He has less than 100 innings at first.
He is coming off a year down at the plate. Between the O’s and ‘Stros, he slashed .241/.292/.384 with an 87 wRC+. Houston could have kept him on a 2026 contract, with MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projecting a salary of $4.4MM, but they decided not to tender him.
In St. Louis, Urías should fill in some of his missing outfield depth. The cards are remade and sold Nolan Arenado, Brendan Donovan again Wilson Contreras this winter. Those moves both saved money and freed up playing time for other young players the organization would like to pursue.
On the dirt, they project to have Masyn Winn in short again Alec Burleson initially, the other two positions are partially open. Nolan Gorman looks like he’s going to take a third job but also has a lot of experience with the second. JJ Wetherholt he could get a second gig but he hasn’t hit the big leagues yet.
After those top contenders, the Cards also have them José Fermín, Thomas Saggese, Bryan Torres again César Prieto on the 40-man roster. No one on that team has played more than 100 major league games. All but Fermín have options, so perhaps the club could opt to get regular playing time in the minors if they don’t have regular big league jobs. Gorman also has options and is coming off two tough years at the plate.
When you’re dealing with a bunch of unproven guys, some will do it and some won’t. In addition, injuries are inevitable. Urías is down a year at the plate but is a reliable veteran who can step in to protect other guys, if needed. If he’s on the roster and plays well over the summer, he could be a sensible trade for a rebuilding club.
Photo courtesy of Cary Edmondson, Imagn Images
