OMG!

When Cuban shortstop José Antonio Iglesias finished the 2022 season with the Colorado Rockies, his defensive work once again showed the decline we saw a year earlier. Iglesias closed with minus-22 DRS, according to FanGraphs defensive metrics. Either way, if there was one thing we could be sure of, it was that his swing was still having success. He hit .292, with a .326 BABIP that beat the league average (.312). His .328 on-base percentage was mediocre, but it was the best of his career (in qualifying seasons) since he hit .347 with the Detroit Tigers in 2015.

Still, “Candelita” Iglesias did not find a job with any of the 30 Major League teams in 2023. He spent that season in the Pacific Coast League with the El Paso Chihuahuas in the Padres' top minor league affiliate from San Diego. He hit .317 in 28 games and slugged .537, which seemed like a sign of life in his bat to once again challenge the major league level. It was no secret that Iglesias would have a hard time finding a full-time job in the majors, but he was hopeful that an offer would come along.

Time passed and, again, no major league team was willing to sign him. So Iglesias decided to leave the team and was released on June 19. Although he didn't play the rest of the season, he still wasn't giving up. And then the expected opportunity presented itself. Last winter, Iglesias reached an agreement with the New York Mets and began the 2024 season with the Syracuse Mets. He hit .273 in 42 games, showed off his defensive skills, and his impact sparked interest in the Mets, who called him up to the major leagues on May 31.