Iggy Suarez

Ignacio Antonio Suarez (born May 3, 1981) is a former middle infielder and third baseman and current manager in the Boston Red Sox farm system Listed at 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m) tall and 165 pounds (75 kg), Suarez batted and threw right handed. He was born in New York City, New York.

More respected for his glove than his bat, Suarez spent eleven seasons in the minors, reaching the Triple-A level briefly before retiring in 2013. He was selected by the Texas Rangers in the 34th round of the 1999 MLB Draft out of John Bowne High School, but opted to enroll at Southwest Texas State University, where he formed part of the Texas State Bobcats baseball team.

He also played for the Wareham Gatemen team that won the 2002 Cape Cod League Championship. That year, Suarez posted a .323/.402/.428 slash line in 57 games with the Bobcats, including 15 stolen bases in 18 tries and 37 runs scored. He then was picked by the Boston Red Sox in the 24th round of the 2003 MLB Draft.

Suarez played from 2003 through 2009 for the Red Sox organization, and later played with five different clubs of the independent Atlantic League in a span of four seasons from 2010–2013. His most productive season came in 2008 with Double–A Portland Sea Dogs, when he hit .242/.307/.328 with 15 steals and career-highs in home runs (5) and runs batted in (50).

He also joined the Colombian national team for the 2013 World Baseball Classic Qualification Round, backing up Édgar Rentería at shortstop. In between, he played winter ball with the Leones de Ponce in the Puerto Rico Baseball League from 2008 to 2011, and was part of the Ponce champion team that played in the 2009 Caribbean Series.

Overall, Suarez hit .240 with 40 homers and 400 RBI in 1201 minor league games. He turned in 733 double plays and committed just 213 errors in 5,036 fielding chances, with a collective .959 FLD%.

A versatile infielder who played mainly at shortstop, Suarez also saw action as a corner outfielder and often as a reserve for defensive purposes. He was a fundamental player with a likeable disposition, which made him a favorite of both his Portland teammates and the enthusiastic fans at Hadlock Field, to the point of being named Portland Sea Dogs Citizen of the Year in 2007 and 2008.

Following his playing career, Suarez returned to the Red Sox organization as a hitting coach and instructor for the Lowell Spinners in 2014–15. He then was named manager of the 2016 Spinners during the offseason. His maiden season as Lowell's skipper resulted in a 47–29 (.618) record, and a first-place finish in the NY-PL's Stedler Division. The Spinners dropped the opening playoff round to the Hudson Valley Renegades, two games to none.

He was reappointed to a second season as the Spinners' manager in January 2017.