Former Met José Iglesias joining 'Buena Vista Social Club'

Former New York Met turned singer José Iglesias is about to make his Broadway debut, and no, it will not be in a revival of "Damn Yankees."

Iglesias, who performs using the stage name "Candelita" (Spanish for "little candle"), will join the cast of the Tony Award-winning musical "Buena Vista Social Club" for a six-week run starting Aug. 27. The Havana-born Iglesias will portray the Narrator in the show which tells the true story of a group of forgotten musicians from the 1950s whose lives are upended by the Cuban revolution in 1959. The action shifts to 1996, when they are reunited.

"It is an incredible privilege to be part of such a historic band. Anyone who truly knows Cuba understands the journey we have endured, so for me, this is a dream come true. To represent Buena Vista Social Club — and to do it on Broadway — is something deeply meaningful and truly special. This musical is unique, powerful, and unlike anything else," Iglesias said in a statement. "On a personal level, it is a tremendous blessing to be part of this production. It is also overwhelming in the best possible way because I will be the first Latino MLB player ever to perform on Broadway."

During his baseball career, Iglesias has played for a number of teams including the Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers, Cincinnati Reds, Baltimore Orioles and San Diego Padres. In 2024, he was signed by the Mets, where he primarily played second base as well as shortstop and also played a key emotional role in the Mets' dramatic run to the National League Championship Series. The Mets chose not to re-sign Iglesias for the 2025 season and he signed on with the Padres.

While with the Mets in 2024, he recorded the single "OMG," which hit No. 1 on the Billboard's Latin Digital Songs chart. It also became the unofficial theme song for the team and he performed it in person at Citi Field.