Part of the fun of a new Major League Baseball season is getting accustomed to old faces in different places. For the most part, that means players who have changed teams. In some cases, though, it applies to players taking up other positions.
With that in mind, here are eight positional changes to be aware of heading into the new season, as well as our verdict on whether or not the change will work out for the betterment of the player and team.
The change: From third base to designated hitter
At one point this spring, the Red Sox infield could have been confused for a Rube Goldberg machine. Their stated desire after signing Alex Bregman was to have him take over at third base for Rafael Devers, who would slide to DH and create an (eventual) opening for top prospect Kristian Campbell at the keystone. It looks like they’ll get their wish, with Devers acquiescing after initially saying no to all that jazz. Bregman has exclusively played at the hot corner this spring; Campbell, for his part, has ping-ponged between second base and left field as he prepares for his first major-league debut after making the Opening Day roster.
The expectation: It’ll work. Bregman is a clear defensive upgrade at third, and the Red Sox were always going to have to clear a pathway for Campbell, last year’s hottest minor-league breakout. The only real risk here is that Devers struggles to acclimate to full-time DH duty. (Some hitters have a hard time dealing with so much downtime between at-bats.) His track record speaks for itself, however, and there’s no reason to assume that’ll be the case at this point in time.
The change: From second base to left field
Bregman isn’t the only longtime Astros star associated with a positional change this year. Altuve is moving from his usual haunt to the grass to boost Houston’s infield defense. (He had averaged worse than minus-13 Defensive Runs Saved over the last three seasons.) The Astros have, understandably, given Altuve a lot of burn in left so far this spring, with Mauricio Dubón slotting in at second base. (By the way, the Astros are also experimenting with top prospect Cam Smith in the outfield; it’s conceivable they head into the year with two career infielders staffing the corners.)
The expectation: It’ll work, at least to the extent that Dubón will provide better defense at the keystone. As for Altuve, we’ll give him some time before judging his outfield play. You might wonder if his below-average speed will condemn him to poor fielding, but keep in mind that there’s more to playing the outfield than mere speed. To wit, Altuve’s sprint speed last season (as recorded by Statcast) compared favorably to Steven Kwan’s. Kwan is, of course, a three-time Gold Glove Award winner.
The change: From the bullpen to the rotation
The Mets signed Holmes, who had spent the past three seasons closing for the Yankees, to slot into their rotation. He came up as a starter (a lot of relievers do), but he hasn’t even opened a game since 2018. Nevertheless, the Mets are banking on Holmes’ impressive arsenal (he has three pitches that grade as above-average offerings, plus a new kick changeup) and above-average control transferring to longer outings. He was recently named as New York’s Opening Day starter, albeit largely by default.
The expectation: Holmes has the stuff to be this year’s Michael King. Will he be able to withstand the increased workload? That’s the question. We won’t pretend to know the answer.
The change: From center field to right field
Trout is entering his age-33 season having averaged 67 games per pop over the last four years. The Angels need more from him if they want to be the 2025 version of the Royals (i.e. a last-place team that becomes competitive after adding a slew of mid-tier veterans over the winter). Part of their plan for achieving that goal is having him move from center to right field to reduce the wear and tear on his body. As an added bonus, the Angels ought to avoid any age-related decline to Trout’s defense.
The expectation: Again, to be determined. Trout shouldn’t have a problem taking to right field defensively. Will it actually keep him healthier? There’s no way for us to know.
The change: From catcher to first base
Contreras, eternally the subject of rumored positional changes, is actually making a move this season. He’ll no longer have to worry about his substandard framing because there is no strike zone at the cold corner. Rather, Iván Herrera will now be tasked with backstop duties. All Contreras has to do is hit, hit, and hit some more while doing his best to replicate Paul Goldschmidt’s scoop game.
The expectation: It’ll work. Contreras is the rare catcher with the offensive chops to slide all the way down the defensive spectrum without tanking his value. Herrera, meanwhile, has a chance to solidify himself as a key part of the St. Louis core for years to come. Everyone wins.
The change: From second base to left field
India has never logged a single inning at the big-league level at a position other than second base despite largely grading as a subpar fielder there. That’s about to change. The Royals have had India spend most of his spring in left field, albeit while still giving him some run at second (and third) to maintain his optionality. The draw here for Kansas City remains his on-base chops.
The expectation: It’ll work fine provided India hits. As with Altuve before, we’ll have to wait and see how India takes to left. He’s not a particularly fast runner and he has below-average arm strength, but, again, there are other, more vital attributes for an outfielder to possess.
The change: From third base to second base
Chisholm can’t seem to find a steady home. He’s moved from shortstop to second base, second base to center field, center field to third base, and now third base back to second base. On the bright side, he’s remained a skilled hitter coming off an impressive 46-game stretch with the Yankees. With DJ LeMahieu sidelined because of a calf injury, look for the Yankees to install Oswaldo Cabrera at third.
The expectation: It should work out. Chisholm always graded well defensively at the keystone, and there’s no reason to think this go around will be any different.
The change: From shortstop to center field
Technically this relocation dates back to last season: Cruz, ever prone to throwing lapses at short, moved to center late in August. From that point forward he played exclusively on the grass. The Pirates’ thinking seems layered: his well-above-average speed and arm strength could make him an asset in center, and it’s possible that his bat is freed up from not carrying his defensive mistakes with him to the plate. Plus, it creates a mighty good left side of the infield defensively for Pittsburgh, what with new shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa and third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes.
The expectation: It’ll work. Even if Cruz doesn’t live up to his ultimate defensive ceiling, it’s easy to see the improved infield defense paying off for the Pirates.
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