JUPITER, Fla. -- The Cardinals are finalizing a deal with veteran infielder Ramón Urías, a source told MLB.com on Saturday. The agreement is believed to be a one-year Major League contract, according to reports.
The club has not confirmed the deal.
The 31-year-old recorded a .241/.292/.384 slash line in 112 games last season split between the Orioles and the Astros. He has a career .724 OPS and 50 home runs through six Major League seasons.
Urías has played the majority of his 541 big league games at third base and also has experience at second. He will provide depth at both spots, which are expected to be manned by Nolan Gorman and top prospect JJ Wetherholt, respectively. Thomas Saggese and José Fermín are two other options for the Cards at those positions.
This will be Urías’ second stint in the Cardinals organization. They signed him as a free agent out of Mexico in January 2018, and he spent the next two seasons in the Minors before St. Louis designated him for assignment in 2020. He was subsequently claimed off waivers by the Orioles and played 506 games with Baltimore until he was traded to the Astros prior to last season’s Trade Deadline.
Urías is on Team Mexico’s roster along with A’s infielder and younger brother, Luis, for next month’s World Baseball Classic.