The Los Angeles Dodgers signed third baseman Andy Ibanez of La Habana, Cuba to a one-year contract worth $1.2 million according to Darragh McDonald of MLB Trade Rumors. Ibanez is expected to backup Max Muncy of Midland, Texas at third base, and Hyseong Kim of Goyang-si South Korea at second base.
It should be noted that even though Ibanez was primarily a third baseman this past season (played 68 games at the hot corner compared to 11 games at second base), he has played 165 games at second base in his career compared to 139 games at third base.
The Dodgers are the third franchise Ibanez has played for in his Major League Baseball career. He was previously with the Texas Rangers for two seasons from 2021 to 2022, and three seasons with the Detroit Tigers from 2023 to 2025.
In 2025, Ibanez batted .239 with four home runs and 21 runs batted in. During 91 games, 176 at bats and 193 plate appearances, he scored 24 runs and had 42 hits, eight doubles, four stolen bases, 12 walks, 62 total bases, one sacrifice fly, an on base percentage of .301 and a slugging percentage of .352. The sacrifice fly came in a 10-2 Tigers win over the Colorado Rockies on May 8.
In Ibanez’s final regular season game with the Tigers on September 28, Ibanez had a season-high three hits. All three of the hits were singles, but was not enough as the Tigers lost 4-3 to the Boston Red Sox.
Ibanez is the second Dodgers player the defending World Series champion has signed via free agency in the offseason. The other is closer Edwin Diaz of Naguabo, Puerto Rico.
