The Reds picked up free agent infielder José Iglesias on a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training, per an official announcement. Mark Sheldon of MLB.com adds that Iglesias can earn up to $2.5 million in the majors, with another $1 million in bonuses if he reaches a certain threshold of games played in 2019.
The 29-year-old shortstop/third baseman is coming off of a six-year track in the Tigers’ system. He was laid up with repeated fractures in his shins and right middle finger during the 2014 and 2015 seasons, but made a full recovery and remained mostly healthy and productive in the years that followed. In 2018, he batted .269/.310/.389 with five home runs, 15 stolen bases (in 21 chances), and a career-best 2.5 fWAR across 464 PA, then saw his campaign cut short after sustaining an abdominal strain in late August.
Healthy or not, however, Iglesias isn’t guaranteed any kind of starting position with the club this spring. José Peraza is already penciled in as the Reds’ go-to shortstop in 2019, while Eugenio Suárez is currently poised to man the hot corner. According to C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic, manager David Bell stressed that no significant changes will be made to the starting lineup in light of Saturday’s signing; instead, Iglesias will be relegated to a bench role, provided he cracks the major league roster at all.
