PEORIA, Ariz. — Jose Iglesias walked through the Padres’ clubhouse doors on Thursday morning, the product of a minor league deal with an invitation to big league spring training.

But the 35-year-old infielder is not a minor leaguer.

That was his belief when he opted out of his assignment — twice — with Triple-A El Paso in 2023. A career year that helped push the New York Mets into last year’s NLCS only validated that opinion.

“It was special,” Iglesias said. “What we did down there in New York, right where the team was ... and when I got there, then turning that page, and get that team going, and get the players going, and be able to perform individually and the way I did and played every day. It was a dream come true. I was able to contribute, and I was very pleased and happy about it.

“This team sees that I can help and I’m here to help.”

Toward that end, Iglesias joined his new teammates for the morning stretch at the Peoria Sports Complex. He’d already been facing live pitching while he waited for his agent to find him a home for 2025, but the Padres expect him to build toward game action in the coming days.

“We’re going to be partnering with him on where he’s at physically, what he’s done, what his volume’s at, to make sure we don’t expediate things too quickly to put him in a position where he has, from a health standpoint, some soft tissue (issues) or anything like that,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said. “Beyond that, he knows what he needs. He’ll ramp up pretty quickly. He’s a veteran guy, so I don’t think he’s behind at all.”

Besides, Iglesias knows a thing or two about catching on late with teams.

In fact, what he’s attempting to do with the Padres — force himself into what was already a tight camp battle for limited jobs — isn’t all that different from what he’s had to do each of the past two seasons.

The AL Rookie of the Year runner-up to Wil Myers in 2013 and an All-Star in 2015, Iglesias had bounced from the Tigers to the Reds to the Orioles to the Angels to the Red Sox to the Rockies in a span of five years when he had to resort to a minor league deal with the Miami Marlins in 2023. But he didn’t make the opening-day roster and never appeared in a game in the minors when he opted out, clearing the path to sign another minor league deal with the Padres.

Iglesias reported to Triple-A El Paso, collected seven hits through his first three games in the Pacific Coast League and went on to hit .317/.356/.537 with four homers in 28 games while the big league team spun its wheels while juggling veterans Matt Carpenter and Nelson Cruz on its bench.

By the time Cruz was released in July, Iglesias had opted out twice with the Padres.

The last one stuck.

“It was tough year for me all around,” Iglesias said. “I went to El Paso and the opportunity never developed. Played well down there and it was time for me to go home at that point. I don’t want to sound so arrogant or anything, but I’m not a minor league player at this point in my career, and I did it, proved it and it didn’t work out, and it’s fine.

“And then I went home and I enjoyed the family. And then I got another opportunity last year and I took a full advantage of it.”

That opportunity also began with a minor league deal. Iglesias signed that one in December 2023, participated in a full spring training in Port St. Lucie, Florida and he was hitting .273/.309/.442 with seven homers in 42 games at Triple-A Syracuse when the Mets called him up to replace the struggling Brett Baty.

New York’s season took off from there.

Ten games under .500 when Iglesias arrived, the Mets surged to a wild-card berth that carried them all the way to the NLCS. On the field, Iglesias set career highs in batting average (.337), on-base percentage (.381) and slugging (.448) and became the starting second baseman late in the year after Jeff McNeil fractured his wrist. Off the field, his hit song “OMG” became such a rallying cry for his teammates and fans that a sign was produced to celebrate big moments.

“Candelita,” as Iglesias goes by as an artist, even performed the song after a game at Citi Field.

“I’m not going to lie. Last year was special,” he said. “It was special for all the obstacles and ups and downs that I’ve been having over my 14-season (12, actually) career and like I said, I see it as an opportunity. Last year, I grabbed it with two hands. I did my best. I put my heart on the field, and it shows.”

Five months later, Iglesias is signing another minor league deal with the Padres after hopes for a reunion with the Mets fizzled.

TBD on if he’s retiring “OMG” as a walk-up song and cooking up something new for his new opportunity.

“It’s surprising, yes, but I didn’t take it personal at all,” Iglesias said. “It’s completely business. ... David (Stearns) went in his direction and there’s nothing I can do about it. I’m pretty sure they were happy with what I did. I’m very happy with that organization. I will always be very grateful for that opportunity. And I would say I’m here today because of them. They brought me back to the big leagues and I’m extremely grateful. Great relationship with Steve and Alex (Cohen) . It’s just sometimes things are going to work differently, and everything happened for a reason.

“I believe in that. I think at this point it’s time for me to be with the Padres and continue to grow and continue to bring a winning game to a championship team that we have.”