Hot Stove: Under the radar MLB free agents who could pay off

No shortstop is getting more attention that Manny Machado, which technically makes all of the other free agents under-the-radar players.

The player who could be an under-the-radar shortstop is Jose Iglesias who has spent the majority of his career with the Detroit Tigers. He was acquired in a massive Dave Dombrowski trade with the BoSox and the ChiSox that involved Avisail Garcia, Brayan Villareal, and Jake Peavy.

Iglesias has been a fan favorite in Detroit for his acrobatic defensive plays. He also has delivered a few clutch moments at the plate, too. While he’s not a power hitter by any means, Iglesias (or Iggy as Tigers fans affectionately called him) has a knack for getting on base. In 2018, he only struck out 47 times in 464 plate appearances.

He’s spent time learning defense from Omar Vizquel and avoiding strikeouts from Victor Martinez. Any team that needs a shortstop for under $400 million would do well signing Iglesias. His name has popped up as a rumored substitute for Didi Gregorius. Yankees fans would like his defense, while he’s doesn’t make the tags with the same flair as Javier Baez, Iglesias knows how to put on a show.

The one downside with Iglesias is his fragility. He has been on the DL nearly every season. He missed all of the 2014 season recovering from stress fractures in his shins. In 2018, he had issues with an abdominal muscle causing him to miss the end of the season.

If he can stay healthy, Iglesias could be a difference maker both offensively and defensively. He is also affordable, especially compared to the competition.