Yankees on the Hunt! All-Star Infielder in Their Sight, But is it Worth the Risk?
With spring training continuing on for the New York Yankees, the team will be hoping to have another excellent season in 2025.
Last year, the Yankees, for the first time in a long time, were able to win the American League pennant and reach the World Series. Even though they ultimately came up short in the World Series, it was still a great campaign.
Now, while the team might look a little bit different, it is still going to be a well-balanced and talented squad.
However, while New York will be aiming for another lengthy run in the postseason, they do have one glaring issue for the team at third base.
Despite upgrades in multiple areas, third base is a position that appears to be an issue with either DJ LeMahieu or Oswaldo Cabrera being the favorite to start on opening day as of now.
However, there is one player who could be a strong fit for the Yankees still out there as a free agent and that is Jose Iglesias. While he might not be a natural third baseman, he can play multiple positions in the infield, and potentially allow Jazz Chisholm to stay at third.
It was a bit surprising, considering the impact that he had on the New York Mets last season, that he hasn’t been brought back. For the Yankees, he could be a viable option in the infield despite the lack of interest from the Mets.
Here are some pros and cons when it comes to signing Iglesias.
Pros
There is a lot to like about Iglesias and what he can bring to the table for the Yankees. First off, his positional flexibility is a great tool to have during a long season. Being able to play three different positions in the infield is certainly a big plus, and he’s a strong defensive player.
At the plate, the 34-year-old slashed 337/.381/.448 with four home runs and 26 RBI last year. It was a great season at the dish for the former All-Star and that type of offensive production would be great at the bottom of the order for New York.
Cons
While it was a great season for the talented infielder, it perhaps might be seen as an outlier. He was able to total a 3.1 WAR for the Mets, which was the highest of his career. Also, the .337 batting average was well above his career average.
Furthermore, without being a stolen base or home run threat, he does rely heavily on simply getting on base. If he doesn’t do that, he is rather limited offensively.
Overall, while he isn’t a perfect addition, there are far more pros than cons when it comes to signing him for the Yankees.
