The Cubs eye utility specialist Miguel Andujar, potentially bolstering their bench depth with a versatile bat following the Bregman signing.
The Chicago Cubs recently made their biggest move of the offseason by signing Alex Bregman to a massive five-year deal.
That move almost completes the Cubs' offense for the 2026 season. Bregman will be Chicago’s everyday third baseman, and Matt Shaw could find himself in more of a super utility role next year.
But the North Siders could still make a few more moves to improve their bench depth for this season.
The team could use another outfielder since Owen Caissie was traded earlier this month, and having another player who can play both the outfield and the infield isn’t a bad idea.
That appears to be the route that the Cubs are going, as the team is showing interest in utility specialist Miguel Andujar.
Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports that Chicago is one of six teams interested in signing Andujar. He lists the Cubs, Rangers, Padres, Athletics, Reds, and Cardinals as teams showing the most interest in the 30-year-old.
Signing Andujar would be a solid move for the Cubs. He would improve the team’s bench depth and could play both the outfield and the infield. Last year, the nine-year veteran saw time at left field, right field, third base, and first base.
Andujar would also be a solid pinch-hitting bat off the bench. He is coming off one of his better hitting seasons in the Majors, in which he hit .318 with 10 home runs, 17 doubles, and 44 RBI across 94 games with the Athletics and Reds.
While his home run numbers have been down since his rookie season, Andujar has been able to carry a high batting average throughout each of the past two years. He had a .285 batting average in 2024 and then finished with a personal-best .318 batting average last season.
With a low whiff rate (17.8%) and a low strikeout rate (14.4%), Andujar would be a nice bat off the bench for the Cubs. He was fantastic against left-handed pitching last year (.389 batting average) and could even see some starts facing southpaws.
If Chicago were to sign Andujar in free agency, that would certainly complete the team’s bench for 2026. He would join Miguel Amaya, Tyler Austin, Matt Shaw, and Kevin Alcantara to fill out the five-man bench.
Amaya would be the primary backup catcher. Austin would be the backup for Michael Busch at first base. Alcantara could fill in at any of the three outfield spots, and Shaw/Andujar would be in that utility role for the team.
The problem is that Andujar might not opt for a bench role with the Cubs, with multiple teams interested in him. However, he would be the perfect fit for a Chicago team looking to upgrade its bench depth.