5) Jose Iglesias
Jose Iglesias did everything possible for the Mets in 2024 to earn himself a favorable contract in 2025. He ended up settling on a minor league deal with the San Diego Padres. While he did make the team out of camp and survived through the entire season on the roster, a much less prolific season both musically and between the white lines of a baseball field will have teams thinking twice about signing Candelita.
Iglesias turned 36 in January which has him kind of a little too close to keep signing minor league deals. It’s almost easy to forget that’s the kind of contract he signed with the Mets prior to the 2024 season.
The Mets caught lightning, thunder, and some other aerial phenomenon in a bottle with the way Iglesias performed for them in 2024. No one expects him to replicate it. By the way negotiations went for him last year in free agency and his continued unemployment, it doesn’t seem like anyone is willing to consider him for much more than a spring training replacement on yet another non-guaranteed deal.
The good news for Iglesias is he has his next career goals already planned out. If anyone should walk away, it’s the guy with a second budding career already underway.
