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Luis Urias 2019 Outlook: Stellar Hit Tool Brings Value
6 years agoSan Diego Padres second base prospect Luis Urias brings a stellar hitting ability to his game, but power and speed are average. He spent most of 2018 season at Triple-A where he hit eight homers and scored 83 runs thanks to his excellent on-base ability (.398). Urias accomplished that by walking a reasonable amount (13%) and keeping the strikeouts at a decent level (21%). This is notable since Urias excels at plate discipline as he walked more than he struck out for the two years before 2018. In August, at the age of 21, Urias was promoted to the majors and finally demonstrated struggles that he needed to make adjustments. He hit two homers and a .208 AVG in 12 games, albeit with a deflated BABIP of .216. Urias has the potential to start the 2019 season as the Padres starting shortstop. He doesn’t have much power or speed, but over four seasons, Urias has a robust .306 batting average and a .397 on-base percentage. Urias is currently undrafted in most leagues. With an ADP of 345, a player with an increased OBP should be a definite stash in most leagues. Even when the Padres call-up Fernando Tatis Jr., Urias will likely slide over to second base.
