3 Braves replacements for Dansby Swanson not named Carlos Correa
By Mark Powell
Braves should sign Jose Iglesias while they still can
There aren’t many high-caliber free agent shortstops available on the free agent market, but Jose Iglesias is a close second.
Iglesias has spent time all over MLB, but has proven more than capable defensively and has improved his bat enough to be an everyday shortstop when the situation calls for it. The 32-year-old won’t be on the market for long, especially as a short-term contract target once Carlos Correa finally signs.
As much as the Braves may trust Grissom and other shortstops on their roster, they would be wise to bring in a veteran who could push the 21-year-old in spring training, at the very least. If Alex Anthopoulos is lucky enough to sign Iglesias to a minor-league contract with a spring training invite in a few weeks, there should be no holdup.
His last season with the Rockies, Iglesias played in 118 games. FanSided’s Josh Wilson once again listed Iglesias as a dark horse target:
"Playing in Colorado and on the Western half of the country might just not be for Iglesias. He clicked when he played for the Baltimore Orioles in 2020 over 39 games, and he continued that production with Boston in 2021 after a bum year with the Angels that led to him being released by the team. Then, his season with the Rockies wasn’t good. Here are his cumulative slash lines over the last three years: 2020 (Orioles): .373/.400/.556 2021 (Angels): .271/.309/.391 2021 (Red Sox): .356/.406/.508 2022 (Rockies): .292/.328/.708"
A move back East could do Iglesias some good in gaining relevancy, and earning his stripes in a real baseball town.