Cardinals Insider Gives Official Debut Date for New Signing

The Cardinals will see him in action soon.

Apr 20, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; The helmet of St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker (not pictured) rests in the base path during the sixth inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals had a busy offseason, trading away all of their high-priced veterans and signing three free agents to one-year deals. Their most recent signing was veteran utility infielder Ramon Urias.

Urias gives the Cardinals the right-handed bench bat they had been searching for. He has not yet appeared in a spring training game, as he was just signed at the end of last week. However, that will change soon.

Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported on when Urias would finally make his first spring training appearance, and that will ultimately come before the end of this week.

Ramon Urias to debut with Cardinals soon

May 27, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles third baseman Ramon Urias (29) hits a single during the ninth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

"Ramon Urias will start Friday's game, likely at [third base]," Goold posted on X.

Urias hit .241 with 11 home runs last season while playing for the Houston Astros and Baltimore Orioles. Houston picked him up from Baltimore at the trade deadline.

Urias was originally signed by the Cardinals in 2018 but didn't make his Major League debut until he joined the Orioles. But now, the Cardinals have a right-handed bat with some power that they can trust at third base, as well as shortstop and second base if need be.

The Cardinals were searching for outfield help, but with Urias in the mix, they now have the flexibility to try Ivan Herrera, Jose Fermin and Thomas Saggese in the outfield while Lars Nootbaar continues to recover from his offseason heel surgeries.

It's not a flashy signing by any means, but it can still help the Cardinals. What will ultimately be interesting though is what his role will be for 2026. On Friday, the Cardinals will finally get their first look at Urias.

Third base is his best position, and with Nolan Arenado now gone, that spot is wide open for him, Saggese or Nolan Gorman. If he hits well in spring training, he could ultimately find himself as the starting third baseman on Opening Day.

But the Cardinals brought him in to shore up their infield, and he'll do just that. It will be interesting to see how he does in his first action with his new team and what the Cardinals decide is the best role for him.

There are a number of different things the Cardinals can do with him as they prepare for the 2026 season, and he'll get a chance to suit up for his new team for the first time on Friday.