Jose Iglesias (baseball)
A Cuban-born shortstop whose magical hands and acrobatic throws have made him one of Major League Baseball's most dazzling defensive artists for over a decade.
Born 1990 (age 36)·Cuban-born American baseball player·Birthday: January 5·Millennials
Biography
Jose Iglesias defected from Cuba in 2008, leaving behind his family to pursue a baseball dream. Signed by the Boston Red Sox, he made his name not with a thunderous bat but with a glove that seemed to defy physics. His debut in 2011 offered a preview of the artistry to come, but it was in Detroit where 'Iggy' became a nightly highlight reel. Playing shortstop with a casual, almost nonchalant flair, he made impossible plays look routine, scooping, spinning, and throwing with a magician's sleight of hand. He won the American League's Wilson Defensive Player of the Year award at shortstop in 2015 and earned an All-Star selection in 2015, a testament to his peerless fielding. While he has journeyed through nearly a third of MLB teams as a valued veteran, his legacy is cemented in the countless web gems that remind fans that defense, at its peak, is a form of breathtaking entertainment.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Jose was born in 1990, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jose Was Born
The biggest hits of 1990
#1 Movie
Home Alone
Best Picture
Dances with Wolves
#1 TV Show
Roseanne
Jose's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1990Born
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1995Started school
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2003Became a teenager
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2006Could drive
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2008Could vote
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2011Turned 21
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2020Turned 30
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 36 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Selected as an American League All-Star in 2015 while with the Detroit Tigers.
- Won the American League Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award at shortstop in 2015.
- Recorded a 28-game hitting streak in 2021 with the Los Angeles Angels, the longest in the majors that season.
- Made his MLB debut with the Boston Red Sox in 2011 and was part of their World Series-winning roster that year.
Did You Know?
His defection from Cuba involved a harrowing boat trip from Mexico to the United States.
He is known for his unique, one-hop throwing style from deep in the hole at shortstop.
He played for the Cuban national team as a teenager before defecting.
He has worn number 1 for most of his MLB career.
“I want to make every play look easy, like it's nothing.”
