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On To The Next One: Jose Iglesias

Detroit Tigers third baseman Jose Iglesias (1) hits an RBI single during the fourth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Detroit Tigers third baseman Jose Iglesias (1) hits an RBI single during the fourth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Detroit Tigers shortstop Jose Iglesias has signed with baseball agent Scott Boras. Photo Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

The regular day-to-day shortstop for the Detroit Tigers is suspended.  Jhonny Peralta was given a 50-game ban due to his purported involvement with the Miami-based Biogenesis clinic.  But the Tigers are not in terrible shape.  That is because the team was able to pull off a trade that brought Cuban-born shortstop José Iglesias on board.  Now Iglesias is the everyday shortstop in Detroit.

And Iglesias is not only on to a new city (formerly being with the Boston Red Sox); he is also on to a new agent.  The shortstop praised for his defense is now represented by Scott Boras.  He was formerly represented by SFX Baseball, a division of Relativity Sports.

Iglesias’ move is an example of a player going from one high-profile agency to another.  It is less common than a player gaining influence and switching from a boutique agency to a major firm.  However, these types of moves often occur in close proximity to a change in a player’s disposition — typically close to free agency.  Here we have a player traded to a new team, become an instant starter and seek a new agent.

By Darren Heitner

Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.

Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.

Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.