Padres' Latest Signing Makes Things Clear: 'I'm Not a Minor League Player'

Jose Iglesias arrived to Peoria, Ariz. Thursday with one goal in mind: To make the Opening Day roster. A day prior, it was reported the San Diego Padres and Iglesias had agreed to a minor league deal.

It's a familiar spot for Iglesias, who was on a minor league contract with the Friars just a few seasons ago in 2023. He played a total of 28 games for the Padres Triple-A affiliate, but opted out of his deal with the Padres at the time.

"It was a tough year for me all around. I went to El Paso and an opportunity never developed," Iglesias said. "Played well down there, and it was time for me to go home at that point.

"I don't want to sound arrogant or anything, but I’m not a minor league player at this point of my career.”

Now, Iglesias returns to the Padres organization as a New York hero. His former team, the New York Mets, used Iglesias' single 'OMG' as the soundtrack of their success all the way to the NL Championship Series.

While Iglesias' single was a hit, his performance also flourished in the Bronx. Iglesias experienced a career resurgence in 2024, recording a .337 batting average and an .829 OPS.

Iglesias also played an invaluable role to the Mets' winning clubhouse, which was part of the reason the Padres were interested in signing the infielder.

“Clearly the [Mets] played very well toward the end, like we did,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said, via MLB.com's Jack Magruder. “Talking to some people who observed that club and were around that area, he was a huge part of that team’s success, relative to his performance on the field and knowing how to play but also the way he went about it, his competitive spirit.”

Iglesias once said his 'OMG' single was all about winning, and he hopes to bring the same energy this spring.

"This is a great opportunity for me," he said. "This is a great opportunity for this organization to continue to grow, to continue to win games. Very happy to be part of [it]."

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