Jose Iglesias has 'Best offseason of my life'

Throughout some of the recent talk of major expectations from Red Sox minor league prospects, former top-prospect Jose Iglesias flew under the radar. With acquired SS Stephen Drew expected to start, Xander Bogaerts and Devon Marrero are also considered to be candidates for the position in the future. The Sox seem to be all set with the position for the years to come, but it is a matter of which player it will be.

At 23-years-old, Iglesias understands that his 'future starter' status may be diminishing before his own eyes. Sox all-star and fan-favorite 2B Dustin Pedroia invited the young SS to train with him in Arizona during the offseason. To this, Iglesias was excited and grateful, even touting it as the "best offseason" of his life. Here's what else he had to say in an ESPNBoston.com article:

-“I worked out with Pedey and he gave me some advice. That was big for my offseason,” Iglesias said. “I feel so much more confident because I put in the work.” -“Patience and just try to be consistent with my routine,” he said. “I had a great offseason and staying healthy is the most important thing for me in 2013.” 

When questioned about the team's signing of Stephen Drew, Iglesias admitted to being shocked, but also  seeing it as a motivational opportunity:

“I can’t control that,” Iglesias said of the Drew signing. “They’re going to do whatever is better for the team. I’ve got to work harder. I’ve got to put myself in a good position to be a better player and help this team win some ballgames.”  

This season will be crucial season for Iglesias and his career. He may get more opportunities than he did in the past, but it's very possible that they could be his last, at least in a Red Sox uniform. His defense was never the issue, and in fact his defensive skill is his greatest attribute. We will see if he can increase the hitting ability; he batted .118 in his 25 games with the Sox last season.