The MLB free agency market is still moving, but it seems to be at a snail’s pace as some of the best ball players in the league are still available.
Despite the slow-moving MLB free agency market, some lists are growing shorter, like the first-baseman and starting pitcher list. But, others are waiting for big chips to fall, especially at shortstop and in the outfield.
Shortstop Jose Iglesias has spent the last five years as a member of the Detroit Tigers. He’s a gifted, agile middle infielder who made several highlight-reel plays. But, the 29-year-old’s career seems to be on hold as the MLB waits to see where Manny Machado signs.
Iglesias began his career with the Boston Red Sox, but was traded to the Tigers in 2013. Dave Dombrowski wisely acquired Iglesias in a three-team trade that moved Avisail Garcia to the White Sox and Brayan Villareal to the Red Sox. The Tigers were clearly the winner of this trade, as Iglesias became a popular player with fans, who were not fond of Garcia.
Iglesias sat out the entire 2014 season with shin troubles. But, he returned in 2015 with all of the magic that he was expected to bring. He was invited to his first and only All-Star Game and he began his work with Ian Kinsler.
The Iglesias and Kinsler double-play duo brought back memories of the Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker days of the 1980s. And, as Iglesias was maturing at shortstop, the Tigers brought in Omar Vizquel to coach first base. Vizquel was able to teach the talented shortstop to be even better with his glove work.
In 2016, the Iglesias-Kinsler double-play duo was named the best in the MLB. ESPN’s David Schoenfield crunched numbers and discovered that the pair were the best. Fans who watched the pair on a regular basis could easily confirm it, after watching Iglesias make flying catches and no-look passes to Kinsler who swiftly tapped the bag and tossed the ball to Miguel Cabrera at first.
It was a magical time in Tigers lore. Now, Iglesias sits on the sidelines as Machado gets all of the attention from the press. But, teams that need a shortstop would be silly to overlook Iglesias. His career slash is .270/.315/.363. While he doesn’t hit for power, he has a knack for getting on base and rarely strikes out. In 432 at bats in 2018, he only struck out 47 times.
He is a hard-working, competitive player who has never had a season with negative WAR. His defensive skills are worth the price of admission. Despite having a history of injuries, he can certain help a team in need of an agile, speedy shortstop.