Sep 3, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres shortstop Jose Iglesias (7) celebrates after hitting a double during the fifth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images David Frerker-Imagn Images

Padres Free Agent Could Bolster Yankees Depth

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Joseph Randazzo | Last updated Feb 2, 2026 10:00 AM ET

Jose Caballero leads the top of the shortstop depth chart heading into the 2026 season for the New York Yankees. To start the year, Anthony Volpe will be hurt, and for the time being, it will be Caballero's job to lose unless somebody steps up and takes it from him in Spring Training.

The only other option at short is Oswaldo Cabrera and Amed Rosario. Rosario was never a great defender there and Cabrera is coming off an injury-shortened year.

One name on the market that could prove to challenge Caballero is free agent Jose Iglesias , who, in his breakout 2024, also became an impromptu pop star for the New York Mets. While Iglesias was a hallmark for those OMG Mets, his 2025 for the Padres was a different story.

Peter Carr/The Journal News / USA TODAY NETWORK

In His OMG Era

Coming off a season where he hit .337/.381/.448 with an elite .284 expected batting average to match, Iglesias had a tough year in San Diego. Last season, the infielder represented by, as Brian Cashman put it, "Titan" Scott Boras, hit a paltry .229/.228/.294. Those advanced metrics took a dip, too. He had a .240 xBA.

Iglesias also had 70 hits in 343 plate appearances. It is less than the 91 he had in just 291 PA in 2024.

Iglesias' strength, though, would not be his bat. At this point in the game, there aren't many prolific sluggers left anyway. For him, his defense is where the majority of his value comes from.

Iglesias' Glove

Were he to compete with Caballero for shortstop, he might be a viable contender. Iglesias had 2 Outs Above Average at the position.

In Iglesias' career, the majority of his reps were at shortstop, second base, and third base. He also saw just two innings in left field last season. At second, Iglesias has a -1 OAA at the position. He has a 0 OAA at third.

Not only could Iglesias have a shot at competing for the Opening Day shortstop job, but, in case of emergency, if Jazz Chisholm Jr. were to go down, since he is always a candidate for the IL, he could slot in there as well. His bat would be nowhere near what Chisholm brings, but he'd at least be a steady hand defensively.

Iglesias feels like one of those names that would pop up on the Spring Training non-roster invitee list. In past years, veterans who received invites included Nestor Cortes Jr., Jay Bruce, and Dominic Smith.

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