The San Diego Padres have signed free agent infielder Jose Iglesias to a minor league contract. The deal includes a $3 million base salary if he makes the roster, with potential incentives of $1 million. Iglesias, 35, had a successful comeback season in 2024, where he batted .337 in 85 games for the Mets after not playing in 2023. Despite his impressive stats, the Mets opted not to re-sign him due to roster constraints and concerns about the sustainability of his performance. Iglesias could serve as a utility infielder for the Padres, competing for a spot on the team.
The Padres have reportedly signed free agent infielder Jose Iglesias to a minor league contract. If he makes the roster, he will receive a base salary of $3MM, with the potential to earn an additional $1MM through incentives. This base salary is somewhat higher than typical minor league contracts, which reflects Iglesias’ performance in 2024 and suggests there was significant interest in non-guaranteed deals of this kind.
Iglesias, now 35, had an outstanding comeback season in 2024 after not playing in the majors at all in 2023, spending that year with the Padres’ Triple-A team. Initially signed to a minor league contract by the Mets, he was called up to the majors in late May as the struggling Mets sought to improve a team record of 24-33 through the first two months of the season. The 12-year veteran went on to play in 85 games, posting an impressive slash line of .337/.381/.448 over 291 plate appearances. He also became an important presence in the Mets’ clubhouse and a fan favorite, with his “OMG” song turning into an anthem for the team as they rallied for an NLCS appearance that once seemed unlikely at the time of his promotion.
Despite Iglesias’ impressive numbers in 2024, the Mets were not keen on re-signing him. This decision was influenced partly by a roster that lacks flexibility; catchers Francisco Alvarez and likely backup infielder Luisangel Acuña are the only two projected position players who could be optioned. Retaining Iglesias would have resulted in a rigid 13-player position core, limiting the Mets’ ability to manage any potential injuries or absences among their position players.
Additionally, there are concerns that Iglesias’ performance may not be sustainable. He had an unusually high .382 batting average on balls in play, which is 72 points above his career average before the 2024 season. This spike in batted-ball results came despite Iglesias recording below-average marks in average exit velocity (85.8 mph), barrel rate (2.2%), and hard-hit rate (30.6%). The Mets — and likely other teams as well, based on his contract terms — did not anticipate that he could replicate, or even come close to his 2024 performance.
While some regression is to be expected, it shouldn’t diminish what Iglesias accomplished with the Mets. He consistently showed exceptional contact skills, striking out in only 12.4% of his plate appearances. He has retained impressive sprint speed, clocking in at 28.6 ft/sec according to Statcast, landing him in the 83rd percentile among major leaguers. Iglesias also provided solid defense at both third base and second base, as reflected in Defensive Runs Saved and Outs Above Average. Though he may not be a contender for the batting title as his 2024 stats might imply, even a regression to his expected .314 weighted on-base average (per Statcast) would still make him a valuable utility infielder.
With the Padres, Iglesias could serve in that utility role, though there’s a chance he could see more significant playing time. Currently, San Diego expects Jake Cronenworth at second base and Luis Arraez at first base. However, if the team wants to enhance their infield defense affordably, moving Arraez to a designated hitter role and shifting Cronenworth back to first base could open up second base for Iglesias.
Alternatively, he may only be competing for a bench position, which would put him in an unofficial race against infielders Eguy Rosario and Tyler Wade. Rosario is out of minor league options and is regarded as one of the more interesting players without options this spring, while Wade, due to his veteran status with over five years of MLB service, cannot be sent down without his consent. The Padres will not carry all three players on the roster. Iglesias could prevail over either player, thanks to his capability to handle all infield positions except first base. Rosario is not yet arbitration-eligible and is thus earning about the league minimum, while Wade’s $850K salary is just above the minimum. However, Wade has a $1MM club option, indicating the Padres may prefer to keep him around.
Iglesias qualifies as an Article XX(b) free agent — classifying him as a player with more than six years of MLB service who finished the previous season on a major league roster or injured list. The 2022-26 CBA stipulates that such free agents who sign minor league contracts are entitled to three opt-out opportunities within the contract: the first five days prior to Opening Day, the second on May 1, and the third on June 1. Therefore, if Iglesias learns late in spring training that the Padres do not intend to include him on the Opening Day roster, he can invoke that opt-out clause to seek opportunities with other teams.
Robert Murray of FanSided was the first to report the agreement between Iglesias and the Padres. Jon Heyman of the New York Post confirmed that it is a minor league deal and was also first to detail the terms of the contract.