Jose Iglesias had one thing of a dream season in 2024. Out of the majors for all of 2023 – and twice-released at that — he spent the primary two months of final season stashed on the Mets’ Triple-A Syracuse affiliate earlier than being recalled on Might 31. Out of nowhere, he not solely put up a scorching .337/.381/.448 line whereas setting a profession excessive with 2.5 WAR, he launched a no. 1 Billboard hit single “OMG,” recorded beneath the stage identify Candelita. His on-field efficiency helped flip the Mets’ season round, along with his newfound pop stardom offering some feel-good mojo as effectively. But with spring coaching in full swing, the 35-year-old infielder stays jobless.
Iglesias is hardly the one participant of word who’s nonetheless searching for work. What follows here’s a fast roundup — in no way complete — of a few of the bigger-name place gamers nonetheless in the marketplace, and a few potential suits. Coincidentally sufficient, 4 of the six I’ve chosen to spotlight performed for the 2 New York groups in 2024, however I don’t assume there’s a selected East Coast bias right here; it’s additionally price noting that 4 of the six acquired late begins final 12 months attributable to spring signings or accidents. In a companion piece, I’ll run down the pitchers ready by the cellphone as effectively. I’ve included every participant’s Depth Charts projections, although it’s price noting that their estimated WAR totals are pushed by ranges of taking part in time that may effectively differ relying upon their touchdown spots.
Yasmani Grandal, C (2025 DC Projection: 0.9 WAR, 99 wRC+, 173 PA)
Whereas he’s far faraway from the shape that made him a two-time All-Star, Grandal escaped a two-year slide of replacement-level play with the White Sox by placing up a decent 1.4 WAR and 95 wRC+ (.228/.304/.400) in 72 video games with the Pirates. After lacking the season’s first 39 days attributable to a bout of plantar fasciitis, he began slowly however hit .302/.429/.558 in 107 plate appearances after the All-Star break whereas backing up Joey Bart. His Statcast metrics — together with a 9.8% barrel price, 42.8% hard-hit price, and .419 xSLG — have been much-improved over the place they have been in 2022 and ’23, and he had his finest season as a pitch framer since ’19 (8.5 runs in 589 innings by way of our methodology, 6 runs per Statcast).
At 36 years outdated, Grandal isn’t more likely to be greater than a backup, however as a switch-hitter with relevant expertise on each side of the ball, he may match nearly wherever. For instance, the Mariners rank first in our Depth Charts listing of projected WAR at catcher, with Cal Raleigh beginning, however that doesn’t imply they couldn’t enhance incrementally. What’s left of Mitch Garver — who hit for simply an 88 wRC+ final 12 months — is the backup, and he’s additionally filling substantial time at DH. Since he’s nonetheless due $12.5 million, that transfer received’t occur barring a major harm, but it surely does make a sure sense. After buying and selling Jose Trevino to the Reds, the Yankees have Alex Jackson, he of the profession 29 wRC+, penciled in behind Austin Wells, whereas the Guardians are paying $4 million for Austin Hedges — proprietor of a profession 50 wRC+ and only a 20 wRC+ in 146 plate appearances final 12 months — to border pitches. Have they ever thought of a catcher who can try this and hit? It’s nonetheless authorized, even in Ohio.
Jose Iglesias, 2B/SS/3B (2025 DC Projection: 0.9 WAR, 89 wRC+, 371 PA)
Although he’s only a profession .283/.323/.386 (90 wRC+) hitter, Iglesias has put up a number of above-average seasons on the plate because of some fluky-high batting averages on balls in play, equivalent to in 2013 (.303/.349/.386, 102 wRC+, .356 BABIP), ’20 (.373/.400/.556, 160 wRC+, .407 BABIP), and final 12 months (137 wRC+, .382 BABIP). All of these seasons owe extra to smaller-sample success than to really hitting the ball arduous. In 291 plate appearances final 12 months, he averaged a slaptastic 85.8 mph exit velocity, with a 2.2% barrel price and a 30.6% hard-hit price.
Iglesias has two issues working in his favor. For one, he’s respectable platoon possibility, a righty who owns a 125 wRC+ in 449 plate appearances in opposition to lefties for the reason that begin of 2020. It additionally helps that he has a decent 97 wRC+ in 970 plate appearances in opposition to righties throughout that very same span, which means even when he needed to play each day, he doubtless wouldn’t be an offensive legal responsibility. (Total, he has a 106 wRC+ from 2020–24, although keep in mind, he didn’t play in any respect in 2023, and he was a below-average hitter within the two seasons wherein he logged greater than 400 plate appearances throughout that stretch.) Nonetheless, his actual calling card is his protection. Although he’s not more than a backup shortstop at this stage, he’s been 24 runs above common on the place through the Statcast period, and final 12 months he was one run above common apiece at each second base (in 477 innings) and third (in 130 innings).
After the Mets re-signed Pete Alonso, president of baseball operations David Stearns stated the group meant to make use of Iglesias’ roster spot “to maintain some avenues open for a few of our youthful gamers,” with Luisangel Acuña, Brett Baty, and Ronny Mauricio the probably beneficiaries, and Donovan Walton and Jared Younger within the combine as effectively. Veteran Nick Madrigal, who has a minor league possibility remaining, has been pushed to the margins of the image after he fractured his left shoulder in Sunday’s break up squad recreation in opposition to the Nationals, however the Mets seem more likely to take in his loss internally.
The Guardians are one the groups that ought to in all probability check out Iglesias. They rank lifeless final in our Depth Charts projections at second base. Even with High 100 prospect Juan Brito, a switch-hitter, vying for the roster, Iglesias could be an improve on platoon candidates equivalent to Gabriel Arias and Angel Martínez. Iglesias additionally would slot in effectively with the Brewers, who’ve light-hitting lefty Brice Turang beginning at second, with rookie Caleb Durbin — a 40 FV prospect acquired from the Yankees within the Devin Williams deal — his doubtless backup.
J.D. Martinez, DH (2025 DC Projection: 0.3 WAR, 103 wRC+, 427 PA)
Whereas he’s had his ups and downs in recent times, Martinez did bash 33 homers and hit for a 135 wRC+ in simply 113 video games with the Dodgers in 2023. They didn’t invite him again for an encore as a result of they signed some fella named Shohei Ohtani, and it took Martinez till the tip of camp to discover a cope with the Mets. After time in prolonged spring coaching and a quick minor league tune-up, he debuted in late April and was underwhelming, hitting simply .235/.320/.406 (108 wRC+) with 16 homers in 495 plate appearances.
Martinez’s Statcast numbers recommend he deserved higher. His 91 mph common exit velocity was simply 0.4 mph beneath his profession common, and better than each his 2020 and ’22 marks (additionally comparatively disappointing seasons). His 14.7% barrel price was 0.7 factors beneath his profession mark however effectively forward of something he did from 2019–22, and his 45.5% hard-hit price was in that ballpark as effectively. His 66-point hole between his slugging proportion and .472 xSLG tied Salvador Perez for the second-largest within the majors behind Juan Soto’s 77-point hole, whereas his 33-point xwOBA hole (.318 wOBA, .351 xwOBA) ranked sixth. In case you have been nervous about declining bat velocity, the lately launched information from the second half of 2023 reveals that Martinez’s 73 mph common held regular for each that 12 months and ’24, although his squared-up and blast charges did fall a bit.
With zero video games performed within the outfield final 12 months and simply three over the previous three seasons, Martinez is a pure DH now, however even at 37 years outdated, he has the potential to be an efficient one — that’s, if he doesn’t resolve pickleball is the place it’s at. (Dude, pickleball is not the place it’s at!) A return to the Diamondbacks is sensible intuitively, however they seem able to roll with a mix pushed by lefty Pavin Smith and righty Randal Grichuk, the success of which relies upon upon their replicating final 12 months’s small-sample successes. The Giants (Wilmer Flores and Heliot Ramos), Mariners (Garver and Mitch Haniger), and Royals (Jonathan India and Perez) are among the many aspiring contenders who’ve significantly flimsy-looking DH choices.
David Peralta, OF (2025 DC Projection: 0.2 WAR, 94 wRC+, 259 PA)
Peralta’s deep second-half stoop with the Dodgers in 2023 owed a lot to his taking part in by way of a torn flexor tendon in his left (throwing) forearm, which he had surgically repaired in October of that very same 12 months. He signed a minor league cope with the Cubs in late February of final 12 months, and he continued rehabbing with their Triple-A Iowa affiliate till he opted out of contract in mid-Might. He was quickly picked up by the Padres, for whom he hit a strong .267/.335/.415 (115 wRC+) with eight homers in 260 plate appearances, with a lot of that point coming through the two-plus months that Fernando Tatis Jr. was injured. Although Peralta wasn’t a part of a strict platoon as a result of he performed proper subject and dabbled in left and at DH, all however 26 of these plate appearances got here in opposition to righties.
All of which is to say that the 37-year-old Peralta is sensible as a platoon possibility in an outfield nook. It’s robust to consider he couldn’t enhance upon the likes of Royals left fielder MJ Melendez (or proper fielder Hunter Renfroe, for that matter) or Guardians proper fielder Will Brennan, to cherrypick a few names from among the many extra respectable groups.
Anthony Rizzo, 1B (2025 DC Projection: 0.3 WAR, 98 wRC+, 350 PA)
There’s no getting round the truth that Rizzo struggled mightily throughout his closing two years with the Yankees, taking part in by way of a beforehand undetected concussion in 2023, then lacking time attributable to a fractured proper arm in ’24. He was barely higher in September (.247/.345/.315, 97 wRC+) than earlier than the fracture (.223/.289/.341, 81 wRC+), however his total Statcast numbers — 86.7 mph common exit velo, 4% barrel price, 32.8% hard-hit price, .340 xSLG — have been profession worsts throughout the board. He caught a further unhealthy break (two, truly) when he was hit on the fourth and fifth fingers of his proper hand on September 28; after sitting out the Division Collection, he gutted out a .267/.421/.300 line within the ALCS and World Collection.
Given the aforementioned the numbers, it’s not arduous to consider that the 35-year-old three-time All-Star has generated solely minimal curiosity. This previous weekend, The Athletic reported that whereas he’d prefer to proceed taking part in, he’s cautious of accepting a minor league deal on principal, saying, “The truth that groups need you to play for mainly league minimal ($760,000), I’m like, you guys are loopy. You’re nearly making an attempt to smash the marketplace for the following man.”
Rizzo’s projections are hardly rosy, but it surely stays shocking that his repute as a robust defender and a fantastic teammate hasn’t helped him land a job in a world the place potential contenders just like the Twins and Brewers are rolling with the likes of Ty France and Rhys Hoskins, respectively. Barring an harm that leads a determined group to choose up the cellphone, he could also be a greater match as a sage veteran on a second-division group, however contemplating he’s performed in eight of the previous 10 postseasons, he will not be up for that kind of gig at this stage.
Alex Verdugo, LF (2025 DC Projection: 0.9 WAR, 99 wRC+, 385 PA)
This one truly isn’t that shocking, even on condition that Verdugo leads all remaining free brokers with 621 plate appearances final 12 months. He spent the entire season because the Yankees’ common left fielder, withstanding calls for the group at hand over the reins to high prospect Jasson Domínguez late within the 12 months. His 83 wC+ (.233/.291/.356) was the ninth-lowest mark amongst batting title qualifiers in both league, and the fourth-lowest amongst those that often performed the outfield. His batted ball stats have been nothing to jot down house about both.
That stated, the lefty-swinging Verdugo is coming into simply his age-29 season, owns a profession 103 wRC+, and is an excellent defender, with a robust arm and good vary; he gathered 8 DRS, 7.5 UZR and three FRV whereas manning Yankee Stadium’s massive left subject. Reportedly, he generated curiosity from the Angels, Astros, Blue Jays, Mets, and Pirates early within the winter. At this stage, he’s not more likely to get the sort of $10 million pillow contract that Max Kepler obtained from the Phillies, and he might have an harm to open up a spot for him. The Astros’ experiment with Jose Altuve in left subject significantly bears watching, although final week’s addition of infielder Brendan Rodgers on a minor league deal might have quelled the chance that Houston would transfer Altuve again to second and signal Verdugo to play left. Tommy Pham, who’s penciled in as Pittsburgh’s beginning left fielder, is perhaps higher off as a platoon companion at this stage in his profession, and Verdugo simply appears like somebody the Pirates would signal as a technique to seem to be they’re critical about addressing a serious gap of their roster. We’ll see what occurs.