A former top prospect returns from Japan, aiming to become a potent bench bat for the Cubs in 2026.
The Chicago Cubs have made their first move for a hitter this offseason.
The Cubs have signed first baseman Tyler Austin to a one-year Major League contract, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. The deal is for $1.25 million, and Austin figures to be Michael Busch’s backup for 2026.
It has been a while since Austin has played in the Majors. He last appeared in a Major League game in 2019 and played for four different teams in his four years. He started his career with the New York Yankees and played for the Minnesota Twins, San Francisco Giants, and Milwaukee Brewers from 2016 to 2019.
However, Austin never really reached his full potential in the big leagues. He had a career .219 batting average with 33 home runs, 20 doubles, 91 RBI, and 215 strikeouts across 583 plate appearances.
After some early struggles in his Major League career, Austin decided to continue his baseball career in Japan. He has played six seasons in the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) organization from 2020 to 2025, where he has posted solid numbers for the Yokohama Bay Stars.
Austin has a career slash line of .293/.377/.568 with 85 home runs, 95 doubles, 236 RBI, and 172 walks in six seasons with the Bay Stars. In 2025, the 34-year-old hit .280 at the plate with 12 home runs, 15 doubles, and 31 RBI across 72 games.
Signing Austin to a one-year Major League deal is a low-risk, high-reward move by the Cubs. He has had success in the NPB in recent seasons and is a former top prospect in the Yankees’ farm system. MLB Pipeline listed him as the No. 75 prospect in baseball before the 2013 season.
So, this is the Cubs basically taking a chance on a player who was once a top prospect in baseball. The team is only paying him $1.25 million this upcoming year, and he could turn into a solid bat off the bench for the North Siders.
As it stands now, Austin is the frontrunner to back up Busch for the 2026 season. He gives the Cubs a right-handed bat at first base and could essentially be Justin Turner’s replacement for next year.
While it’s hard to really be excited about the team signing a player who hasn’t played in the Majors since 2019, this is a very low-risk, high-reward pickup. His time overseas could help him blossom into a reliable bat off the bench for the Cubs in 2026.