The biggest surprise of the 2024 New York Mets season was the play of Jose Iglesias. Everyone assumed it was just roster depth after they signed a one-year contract last December. Iglesias, though, emerged as one of the Mets’ most crucial offensive components. He had an OPS+ of 137, four home runs, 26 RBIs, and a.337/.381/.448 slash in 85 games. He also gave us OMG, which the 2024 Mets adopted as their anthem.
But even though Iglesias had a great season, the Mets are unlikely to keep him. Iglesias probably signs a multi-year contract somewhere given his 2024 numbers and agent Scott Boras. Fans should instead get ready for Ronny Mauricio, a 2023 standout, to replace Iglesias in 2025.
Why Ronny Mauricio should be the Mets’ replacement for Jose Iglesias
Although it’s easy to forget, Mauricio generated a lot of excitement during the previous offseason. In 2023, he was one of the few shining stars. He hit two home runs and nine RBIs while slashing.248/.296/.347 in 26 games. He had seven stolen bases as well. These numbers aren’t particularly impressive, but they are primarily the result of a slump that happened in the last nine games. He slashed.300/.354/.400 in his first 17 games.
He also put up outstanding numbers in the Dominican Winter League (DOWL) before injuring his ACL. In eight games he slashed .441/.472/.706 with one home run and five RBIs. His performance made the news of his tearing his ACL even more devastating. Although it was a tiny sample size many had penciled him in as the starting third basemen in 2024.
Although he’s lost the starting third basemen role to Mark Vientos, that doesn’t mean he can’t be an integral component of this squad roster. He can fill the backup infielder and utility player role left by the departure of Iglesias. Mauricio progressed through the minors as a shortstop but also can play second and third. He’s also played 214.1 innings in left field at Triple-A Syracuse putting up a .935 fielding percentage. These are four locations that Mauricio can play without worrying about him being a defensive liability.
It’s also the better baseball choice to go with Mauricio instead of Iglesias. As terrific as Iglesias was, it was an aberration of a season. Outside of the truncated 2020 season, 2024 established career highs in major offense categories for Iglesias. It’s quite improbable a soon-to-be 35-year-old can duplicate a career season. There’s going to be a drop-off in output. The untested youngster with more promise is a better choice than the perhaps deteriorating veteran.
Mauricio has some risk, especially in relation to his recuperation from ACL surgery, but the benefits exceed the danger. He might have a significant effect on the 2025 Mets club because of his flexibility and offensive potential. Although it might be difficult to let go of a fan favorite, the Mets must change from what worked in 2024 if they are to succeed in 2025.
