Why the Cubs’ Tyler Austin signing is more interesting than it looks

Photo courtesy: WBN

Dustin Riese · Senior Writer · 6 hours ago

What if I told you that the Chicago Cubs not only signed a player to a Major League Deal, but signed one from the position ranks? You probably wouldn't believe it, or at least think it is nothing more than a depth piece. What if I also told you that the bat the Cubs added was one of the best slugging position players in the NBP over the past few seasons?

Nine times out of ten, the answer would be Munetaka Murakami or Kazuma Okamoto. Well, I hate to break it to you, but it's neither of these guys, as the Cubs and 1B/outfielder Tyler Austin have come to terms on a one-year major league contract worth about $ 1.25 million. With so many open roster spots left on the Cubs' 40-man roster, it was only a matter of time until more bodies were added, as this is one of those moves aimed at giving the Cubs a deeper bench.

The now 34-year-old Austin was once one of the New York Yankees' premier power-hitting prospects before spending time with both the Minnesota Twins and the San Francisco Giants organizations. Austin also has ties to current Cubs manager Craig Counsell, as he played for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2019.

That was the last time he saw action in the majors, as Austin has found a home in Japan over the past five seasons and has really put together some strong showings in the process. Looking back at his major league career, the right-handed hitting Austin showed flashes of what he could become, hitting .219 with 33 homers and 91 RBIs.

His final season with Milwaukee saw his average plummet to .200 with one homer and four RBIs in limited action. That was mainly due to him starting that season with the Giants, but his best season came in 2018, when he combined to hit .230 with 17 homers and 47 RBIs across time with the Twins and Yankees.

Clearly, the power potential was always there for him as a hitter, but with a high swing and miss rate leading to plenty of strikeouts, Austin was never going to be the player the Yankees fell in love with, as he was nothing more than a bench piece. Knowing that and hoping to rediscover himself, Austin left the States following the 2020 season and has since spent the past six years transforming himself into a player in Japan.

Ever since arriving in Japan, Austin has played for the Yokohama Bay Stars, where he has emerged as one of the better hitters in the league. Whether that is due to the pitching not being as strong as in the MLB or simply being a late bloomer, Austin has reached the point where he would like one last opportunity to prove his worth to an MLB organization.

Across six seasons with the Bay Stars, Austin slashed a .293/.377/.568 for a .945 OPS. With that came an improved walk rate with 172 walks and a decreasing strikeout rate that saw him strikeout just 340 times in six seasons. That comes out to less than 60 per season, and when you consider where he was prior to that, you can see the overall improvements he made.

While the average is a plus, it's the overall tools that make him who he is, as he emerged as one of the NPB's biggest power threats over the years, racking up 85 homers and driving in 236. That included 12 homers and 31 RBIs this season in 72 games as Austin was once again off to a hot start. Now with the Cubs, Austin is getting his chance to return to the Majors and will join the Cubs on a team-friendly one-year deal that could lead to more if he performs.

This is simply a depth signing by the Cubs and gives you the Patrick Wisdom vibes as someone who has plenty of power, but may struggle to see time on the field due to his swing and miss rate. With both Justin Turner and Carlos Santana on the free-agent market, the Cubs needed a depth piece behind Michael Busch, and Austin is that guy for the time being.

Don't expect him to take bats away from Busch early on, but with Austin being a right-handed hitter, you could see him get some looks against lefties early on. Regardless, this is a low-risk pickup by the Cubs that could lead to big rewards should he prove that his Japan-level play is the player he is now, compared to how he played before taking that venture.