Athletics third baseman Andy Ibáñez had a stellar Spring Training The Cuban infielder posted a .314 slash line, recording 16 hits in 51 at-bats—including 2 home runs and 8 RBIs—while demonstrating offensive consistency throughout the entire spring A solid performance that puts him in a strong position heading into the 2026 season. Will this be the year Andy Ibáñez establishes himself in the MLB?
In early February, the Los Angeles Dodgers announced they had designated Ibáñez for assignment. The player had signed a one-year, $1.2 million contract on January 13. Ibáñez played the 2025 season with the Detroit Tigers, posting a .239/.301/.352/.653 batting line with four home runs, 21 RBIs, and a 92 wRC+.
He spent the previous three seasons with the Detroit organization. Initially, Ibáñez was committed to representing Cuba in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, but he declined to participate after signing his contract. The final tournament rosters were submitted Tuesday at 9:00 a.m. With no minor league options available, it seemed unlikely another team would claim him, but Ibáñez was surprisingly claimed by the Athletics and was added to the team’s 40-man roster.
With a stupendous spring the utilityman has a golden opportunity to establish himself as an everyday player with the A’s and could finally reach the promise that many saw when he was signed by the Texas Rangers in 2015. After being dumped for Michael Siani by the Dodgers earlier this spring Ibáñez has turned everything around and is looking forward to a promising season.