One of the most interesting database projects that comes up each fall is sweeping for players whose position eligibility has changed. In many instances, players become eligible at more valuable positions for the upcoming year, and in others, players lose eligibility at a more valuable position. Some very low-end players with fewer than 20 games played at any position are omitted from the list, even though their default position on the site has been updated.
Some of these changes are less than surprising (Hanley Ramirez's permanent move to first base was well known heading into 2016), but others (Trea Turner not playing enough games at shortstop to qualify there at the start of 2017, and Kyle Schwarber's two games in the outfield before a season-ending ACL injury) may have been overlooked.
See anything awry? Let me know @DerekVanRiper.
Note: The list below is alphabetized by last name and players of the most interest to the author are in bold.
Arismendy Alcantara – OF only (was 2B)
Pedro Alvarez – UT only now...only 12 games at 3B, 0 at 1B
Alexi Amarista – 2B only now...only 12 games at SS
Tyler Austin – 1B only now...only 5 games in OF
Mike Aviles – OF only now....six games at SS
Javy Baez – SS (2B, 3B) elig now
Darwin Barney - SS (2B, 3B) elig now
Gordon Beckham – 2B-only now
Alex Bregman – 3B-only now (3 at 2B, 6 at SS, 1 at OF)
Kris Bryant - Added OF-elig to 3B-elig
Billy Butler – 1B-elig now (25 games)
Eric Campbell – 1B-only
Matt Carpenter – 2B-eligible now (also: 1B, 3B)
Daniel Castro – SS-only
Starlin Castro – 2B-only
Chris Coghlan – 2B-eligible now (also: OF)
Christian Colon – 2B-elig only
Ivan De Jesus – SS-elig now (also: 2B)
Ian Desmond – OF-only now (lost SS)
Derek Dietrich – 2B-only now
Hunter Dozier – OF-only (was 3B)
Jake Elmore – OF-only now (lost 1B)
Ryan Flaherty – 3B-only now (lost 2B)
Wilmer Flores – 3B, 1B now (lost SS)
Nick Franklin – OF-only now (lost INF)
Adam Frazier – OF-only now (lost SS)
Joey Gallo – 3B-only (was OF)
Evan Gattis – C-elig now (was UT-only)
Marwin Gonzalez – 3B/1B-elig now (lost SS)
Brock Holt – OF-only now (was 3B elig)
Chris Johnson – 1B-only now (was 3B elig)
Tony Kemp – OF-only now (lost 2B)
Tommy La Stella – 3B-only (lost 2B)
Brett Lawrie – 2B-only (lost 3B)
Jed Lowrie – 2B-only (lost 3B)
Manny Machado – Added SS (still 3B-elig, 114 at 3B, 45 at SS)
Trey Mancini – UT-only (was 1B)
Jefry Marte – Added 3B elig (still 1B/OF)
Michael Martinez – Added 2B
Raul Mondesi – 2B-only (lost SS)
Justin Morneau – DH-only (lost 1B)
Max Muncy – 2B and OF (lost 1B)
Sean O'Malley – Added SS elig
Jimmy Paredes – OF-only now (lost 2B)
Cliff Pennington – 2B-only now (lost SS)
Jhonny Peralta – 3B-only now (lost SS)
Jose Peraza – SS-elig now (also in OF)
Chad Pinder – 2B-only (was SS)
Jurickson Profar – 3B-only now (17 at 1B, 19 at 2B, 11 at SS, 14 at OF)
Hanley Ramirez – 1B-only now (was OF)
Jose Ramirez – 3B/OF now (had 2B-elig)
Rob Refsnyder – 1B/OF only (had 2B-elig)
Jose Reyes – 3B only (was SS)
T.J. Rivera – 2B only (was 3B)
Sean Rodriguez – 1B/2B/SS/OF now (was 1B only)
Andrew Romine – Lost SS elig (1B/3B/OF now)
Tyler Saladino – Added SS elig (2B also)
Miguel Sano – Added 3B (OF too...was UT-only)
Danny Santana – Lost SS elig (OF-only)
Luis Sardinas – Added SS elig (was 2B-only)
Kyle Schwarber – OF-only (was C)
Travis Shaw – Added 3B elig (still 1B too)
Blake Swihart – OF-only (was C)
Ruben Tejada – Lost SS elig (3B-only now)
Yasmany Tomas – Lost 3B elig (OF-only now)
Ronald Torreyes – 3B-only now (lost 2B)
Trea Turner – Added 2B and OF (lost SS)
Kennys Vargas – Added 1B-elig (was UT-only)
Brett Wallace – Added 3B-elig (still has 1B elig too)