NY Mets fans should prepare for this player to replace Jose Iglesias in 2025

The biggest surprise of the 2024 New York Mets season was the play of Jose Iglesias. After signing a one-year deal last December everyone figured it was nothing more than roster depth. However, Iglesias became one of the Mets' most important pieces on offense. In 85 games he slashed .337/.381/.448 with four home runs, 26 RBIs, and a OPS+ of 137. He also gave us OMG, which became the anthem of the 2024 Mets.

However, despite Iglesias's strong season, it's unlikely that the Mets will retain him. With his 2024 stats and Scott Boras as his agent, Iglesias likely lands a multi-year deal somewhere else. Instead, fans should prepare for 2023 standout Ronny Mauricio to take Iglesias's role in 2025.

Why the Mets should replace Jose Iglesias with Ronny Mauricio

It's easy to forget, but there was a lot of excitement around Mauricio last offseason. He was one of the few bright spots in 2023. In 26 games he slashed .248/.296/.347 with two home runs and nine RBIs. He also had seven stolen bases. Although these stats aren't eye-popping, they are mostly due to a slump that occurred in the final nine games. In his first 17 games, he slashed .300/.354/.400.

He also put up good numbers in the Dominican Winter League (DOWL) before tearing his ACL. In eight games he slashed .441/.472/.706 with one home run and five RBIs. His performance made the news of him tearing his ACL even more heartbreaking. Although it was a small sample size many had penciled him in as the starting third basemen in 2024.

Although he's lost the starting third basemen job to Mark Vientos, that doesn't mean he can't be an important part of this team roster. He can fill the backup infielder and utility man role left by the departure of Iglesias. Mauricio rose through the minors as a shortstop but also can play second and third. He's also played 214.1 innings in left field in Triple-A Syracuse putting up a .935 fielding percentage. These are four spots that Mauricio can play without worrying about him being a defensive liability.

It's also the smarter baseball move to go with Mauricio instead of Iglesias. As good as Iglesias was, it was an outlier of a season. Outside of the shortened 2020 season, 2024 marked career highs in most offense categories for Iglesias. It's very unlikely a soon-to-be 35-year-old can repeat a career season. There's going to be a drop-off in production. It's smarter to go with the unproven rookie with higher upside than the potentially declining veteran.

Although there is risk involved with Mauricio, particularly surrounding his recovery from ACL surgery, the reward outweighs the risk. With his offensive potential and versatility, he could make a major impact on the 2025 Mets roster. Yes, it's hard to move on from a fan favorite however, if the Mets want to be successful in 2025, they have to evolve and not just stick with what worked in 2024.