Defensive versatility

I moved this to its own thread because it seemed deserving of it. Let's focus less on wishcasting a totally home-grown lineup (which is unrealistic for a number of reasons) and instead focus on defensive versatility generally.

The Red Sox generally have a strategy of not moving their prospects to a new defensive position until the upper minors or even the majors (see: Daniel Nava, Ryan Lavarnway, Mookie Betts, Alex Hassan). Is this a good policy? Should players experiment more with positional flexibility earlier in a prospect's career?

I will say that the reference to the Rays' versatile infielders illustrates an important point: almost all of those guys started their professional career as shortstops and only moved to positions lower on the defensive spectrum much later on. This is why the Red Sox love drafting middle-of-the-diamond players-- they can move down the defensive spectrum, but it's virtually impossible to go the other way around. If you draft a bunch of 1B/LF prospects, they have to hit enough to stick at their original position, as they're unlikely to be useful as bench/utility players.

I like the current strategy but would like to see more positional versatility being created at the AA level. Prospects that show success at the AA level have something like a 50% chance of making it to the show. If you start moving prospects around prior to AA, in my opinion you increase the likelihood of hampering their hitting development. With the exception of SS or C, hitting is where most position players derive their value from. In addition when you move 1 player to another position, you are effecting another player. Given this, you are creating distractions for two prospects/players mindsets.

In the case of Betts, and the current Portland team, I would rather see him spend some time in the OF opposed to displacing Marrero at SS. Marrero has more potential than Jose Iglesias as a hitter, and base runner, while providing the equivalent defensively at SS as Iglesias. The current Portland starting OF has two post prospects, and Henry Ramos. If I am to affect anyone at Portland let it be Wilkenson or Rivera. With that said, if Betts continues to hit like he has, he will be in Pawtucket sooner rather than later. With the current Pawtucket MIF, CF, and RF, Betts development takes priority over everyone. Given Marrero, and Pawtucket, I would wait until Pawtucket to try Betts at SS, or another position. The benefit of this, would be to allow Betts and Marrero to focus on hitting at AA, without having to worry about anything else.

In the case of Cecchini, he should start seeing more time in COF/1B as his first season at AAA progresses. Remember he only had half a season in AA, and "should be" more subsuptible to advanced pitching... There is no reason to have him start moving around the diamond until he feel comfortable at the plate for an extended period of time. In addition the Sox have committed to Bogearts at SS, and Middlebrooks at 3B, for the year, if not until the All Star break. Notwithstanding a serious injury to Middlebrooks, the Sox are content with Herrera and Roberts at 3B for now. In all likelihood Cecchini is playing 3B now to provide depth for the end of this season and the future as long as Middlebrooks is in town.

My main point is most positional changes/versatility is created based on the current situation, potential, likelihood of reasonable success of the player and the other players affected. Betts, and Cecchini are highly likely to succeed defensive in the OF, while Betts is less likely to be successful at SS. Marrero has proven to be a solid defensive SS, while his hitting is the question mark. Those three prospects are the most important position prospects of the current farm system that are not in the Majors and excluding Catchers. There is little incentive to more one if it affects another.

... to another team. Despite what some people living in the past may think, WMB is actually a good defender at 3B. Moving him down the defensive spectrum is going to lose value and put more pressure on his bat than it can handle.

So if X is our 3B of the future, expect to see WMB in a green and gold uniform soon. He'll make a good second piece in a trade for the Shark this offseason.