While the New York Mets are embroiled in the Pete Alonso contract drama, they still have to make sure the rest of their roster is ready to go for the 2025 season.
If Alonso happens to leave, the Mets can fill first base internally by shifting starting third baseman Mark Vientos across the diamond. If that does happen, though, there will be plenty of innings for more unproven infielders on the roster to cover.
The Mets found themselves in a similar spot last season, and while Vientos proved to be a big part of the solution, so, too, did an unheralded journeyman who began the season on a minor-league deal at the age of 34.
Jose Iglesias was the surprise performer of the year for the Mets in 2024, both on the field an on stage. He hit .337 for New York in 85 games, while his hit pop single “OMG” echoed throughout the ballpark whenever he came to the plate or a Mets player hit a home run.
Recently, Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer predicted that Iglesias would be back in a Mets uniform in 2025, which would likely please fans far and wide.
“Iglesias just turned 35 on January 5, so it’s hard to count on him repeating his on-field performance from last season even if it wasn’t also an outlier relative to his whole career,” Rymer wrote. “As such, whatever team signs him may be prioritizing vibes above all.”
“Then again, why not? Because in this case, it’s not as if trying to catch lightning in a bottle will be an especially costly endeavor.”
Iglesias was worth 3.1 bWAR in 2024, the highest total of any season in his 12-year career despite having seven years with more games played. While it’s unrealistic to expect elite play from him again, he clearly got comfortable playing for the Mets, and that might be the team to get the best production from him in 2025.
Plus, now that Iglesias has shown his penchant for show business, the Mets might be able to find a new song of the summer to propel fan interest and merchandising if Iglesias keeps up his music career.
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