Why Luis Urias makes sense as third base depth for Cubs

Vincent Carchietta - USA Today Sports

Dustin Riese · Senior Writer · 5 hours ago

One of the biggest question marks entering the 2026 season for the Cubs is whether or not Matt Shaw is their guy at third base. Shaw, the top prospect from a season ago, was given the opening day third base job last season, before getting demoted and then was called up later in the year.

From all accounts, barring an Alex Bregman addition to the hot corner, the third base job is once again Shaw's to lose, but look for the Cubs to have an insurance policy behind him should things go south again this season. Looking at Shaw's season, he was more than capable of playing defense at the hot corner; some would say he was an elite defender with gold-glove potential.

It was his offense that was an issue, and that alone was a shock, given how he hit in college and across the Minors, as Shaw failed to reach .230 as a rookie. Considering where he was to start the season, you saw significant improvement, especially from the power side, but he struggled down the stretch and in the postseason, as the inconsistency was there all season.

Given this team was one win away from the NLCS and has a roster built to win now, they can't afford anyone to go through growing pains, as Shaw could be on a shorter leash than he was last season. That is where adding a veteran third baseman behind him could be crucial, but unless you get Bregman, there aren't too many great options available.

Yoan Moncada and Paul DeJong were names linked to the Cubs as trade candidates last season, but given their injury history, they may not be good fits for this team. You also have playoff hero Kiki Hernandez, but he seems destined to return to the Dodgers at some point, which is expected. Gio Urshela would have been the perfect piece last season, but instead went through a down season, leaving 2026 up in the air.

Of all the third baseman options available, Luis Urias is a player who would fit the Cubs, as he is not only a great defender but also versatile. The now 29-year-old Urias was once viewed as a top prospect, but never reached that level of potential. Known for his glove over his bat, Urias would fit in nicely with the rest of the Cubs' infield, which has gold gloves all across the diamond.

Initially with the Padres in 2018, Urias was traded to the Brewers in 2020, where he spent the next four seasons with current Cubs manager Craig Counsell. One year later, it was Urias flashing the potential many thought he had, playing in a career-best 150 games that season and hitting .249 with 23 homers and 75 RBIs. He also walked 68 times that season compared to 116 strikeouts as he put together an overall strong showing.

One year later, Urias was at it again, hitting .239 in 119 games with 16 homers and 47 RBIs, as those two seasons accounted for nearly 66% of his career homers. Since the 2022 season, things have been a struggle for Urias, and he has had difficulty latching on with organizations, having now played for four different teams over the past four seasons.

His most recent stop came with the Athletics last season, where he continued to flash the leather on defense, while also hitting .230 across 96 games with eight homers and 25 RBIs. Again, not the type of numbers you look for in a player, but for a bench player, Urias has what the Cubs are looking for and would be a better option than both Jon Berti and Vidal Brujan from last year.

What makes adding him to the Cubs intriguing, aside from his age, is his prior relationship with Counsell, who has always felt Urias has the potential to be a star in this league. Granted, Miller Park is a much different hitting environment and helped contribute to some of his numbers, but the bottom line is Urias had his two best seasons as a pro with Milwaukee, and Counsell did play a role in that.

Coming to the Cubs wouldn't necessarily mean that Urias would become that type of hitter again, but at the very least, it would give Counsell a bat off the bench he can trust, as you could expect him to be used to the best of his ability. Considering the contracts he has signed in recent years, Urias is someone who would land a one-year deal in the 4-5 million range, which is more than reasonable for a bench bat.