Position Changes are the Early Talk of Spring Training

Every year during spring training, certain storylines can end up dominating the news cycle. Maybe it’s new rules that are set to be implemented in the upcoming season. Perhaps it’s wondering how some offseason free agent signees will perform with their new teams.

Right now, it’s position changes that are all the rage.

There can be all kinds of different reasons to move a player to a different spot on the field (or DH) than they played the previous season. It could be to protect the health of the player, to account for defensive limitations, or to adapt to offseason roster moves, among other reasons.

And of course this exactly the time when news about position changes would start increasing. With full squads now having reported for spring training, teams have the next four-plus weeks to get players used to their potential new positional homes.

Now there are plenty of players that move to new positions every year, the concept is nothing new. But, this spring a few of those switches have been more notable due to the players involved.

One notable position switch has been met with some resistance.

Just last week, the Boston Red Sox proved once again that they’re all in on their quest to return to the postseason when they signed free agent third baseman Alex Bregman. The only problem: the Red Sox already had a third baseman in Rafael Devers.

Devers apparently told the team, per Ian Browne of MLB.com, that he has no desire to move off of third base. Red Sox manager Alex Cora is promising nothing, stating that decisions are going to be made to put the best roster on the field.

If that actually ends up being the case, then a shift to designated hitter would definitely be in the best interests of the team. Devers has been a poor defensive third baseman in his career, tallying an ugly -62 defensive runs saved and -29 outs above average in his eight MLB seasons so far.

Bregman, to his credit, is apparently open to playing wherever the Red Sox want him to play. Only one of the two third base options just won a Gold Glove at the position last year, though, and it wasn’t Devers.

Meanwhile, a few other notable position switches have been welcomed.

Mike Trout

Any move that results in an 11-time All-Star and three-time American League MVP seeing more time on the field should be one welcomed by absolutely everyone. Such is the case for future Hall of Famer Mike Trout of the Angels.

When healthy, Trout has been one of the best players in the history of the game. Sadly, he has played in less than 100 games in three of the last four seasons, including just 29 last year when he tore the meniscus in his left knee.

So, according to MLB.com’s Angels beat writer Rhett Bollinger, Trout and crew discussed ways to keep him healthy and they “came to conclusion that I’m gonna go to right field. I like it, I’ll try it out, see where it goes.”

Advanced defensive metrics for Trout have been up and down over the years but have him closer to average for the last three seasons. Manager Ron Washington has no doubts in Trout’s ability to shift to right, though, stating, “Mike’s a pro. I think Mike is going to be one of the best right fielders in the game.”

Jose Altuve

Another AL stalwart, Jose Altuve of the Astros, has also tried approaching a change in position with optimism. The long-time Houston second baseman had reportedly been open to moving to left field to support a domino effect of moves that would support a re-signing of third baseman Alex Bregman.

That re-signing didn’t end up happening, but the left field plan is still being considered, and Altuve is up for the challenge. “I’m trying not to make this a big deal or focus, or something else. I want to get rid of this left-field conversation and try to answer every question possible and move on and start preparing for what we all care about, which is preparing for the season and winning,” he told Astros beat writer for MLB.com, Brian McTaggart.

If there was any time for the Astros to try Altuve at another position, it’s now. Closer to average at the second base position defensively for the rest of his career, he has declined over the last three seasons, accumulating -41 DRS and -8 OAA over that time.

Bryan Reynolds

Meanwhile, over in Pittsburgh, outfielder Bryan Reynolds is making a position switch of his own. However, it’s not the one that some were originally expecting.

Toward the end of last year, the Pirates were toying with the idea of playing Reynolds, a left fielder with subpar defensive metrics, over at first base. They even had him practicing at the position to get used to it.

Now that we’ve reached the spring, there is a new plan to instead have Reynolds shift from one corner of the outfield (left) to the other (right). The move would suit him as the closer right field wall in PNC park gives him less ground to cover. And Reynolds seems ready for the move, stating, “it sounds like I’m a right fielder,” per Alex Stumpf of MLB.com.

Whether for health, roster, or defensive reasons, these position switches, as well as others, are for the best interests of the teams involved. Egos aside, that should always be the argument that wins out in these cases.