FanSided’s own Robert Murray broke the news on Wednesday morning that veteran infielder Jose Iglesias will be signing a Minor League deal with the San Diego Padres.

Free-agent infielder Jose Iglesias and the San Diego Padres are in agreement on a contract, according to sources familiar with the deal.

— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) March 5, 2025

Jon Heyman of the New York Post adds that the deal will be worth $3 million if Iglesias makes the Major League roster, and includes some $1 million in incentives.

Iglesias became a fan favorite during the New York Mets’ Cinderella run to the NLCS last season, posting a .337 batting average and a .830 OPS while delivering big hit after big hit (and even a surprise pop song sensation along the way). While the bat overperformed a bit, the glove is still almost as good as ever, and his versatility and good vibes had plenty hoping for a reunion this offseason.

But very early on, it became clear that David Stearns wasn’t having it. Iglesias lingered for months on the market, and even after Nick Madrigal’s devastating injury in spring training, the Mets never showed much interest in their very available former infielder.

David Stearns, Mets were never interested in Jose Iglesias reunion amid infield youth movement

Manager Carlos Mendoza needs a utility player on his bench, someone who can fill holes around the diamond as needed to spell Jeff McNeil, Francisco Lindor and Mark Vientos. But New York seems content to allow former top prospects Brett Baty and Luisangel Acuña to battle it out for the team’s final roster spot. Both have shown flashes of their potential so far in camp, and while signing Iglesias would’ve been great for morale, he was never the cleanest fit here given his relative lack of versatility. The Mets got the most they could out of Iglesias last season, but turning to the younger players is now in New York’s best interest.

In a brief taste of the Majors late last season, Acuña recorded a .308 batting average and a .966 OPS across 14 games. The team even trusted the 22-year-old enough to keep him on the roster during the postseason. Baty has more experience in MLB than Acuña, so he’ll likely get the first crack at the Opening Day roster. Nevertheless, he must prove he’s the right man for the job early on: Across three seasons, the 25-year-old holds a .215 batting average with a subpar .633 OPS.

Baty has been tearing it up in Spring Training, furthering his case to get a roster spot. In seven spring games, he’s hitting .444 with a staggering .833 slugging percentage, showing a newfound ability to pull the ball in the air and tap into his significant power potential. It’s only Spring Training, so we shouldn’t take too much away from his stellar performance. But if anyone needs a big spring, it’s Baty: He adjusted his approach over the offseason, and it looks like it could pay off.

Acuña is still just 22. Stearns and the Mets love his potential. He’s a demon on the basepaths and features a great glove at several different spots. Even if Baty finds success in 2025, it doesn’t mean Acuña won’t have a shot at cracking the roster at some point. However, signing Iglesias could’ve blocked him. The 35-year-old would’ve been the Mets’ backup shortstop, but now Acuña is undoubtedly the next man up if Francisco Lindor were to get hurt like last season now. Baty can play the corner outfield positions, along with multiple infield spots. If both young players produce, the Mets can find a spot for both. All that being said, signing Iglesias didn’t seem like a reasonable option for Stearns and New York.