Positional eligibility means everything in fantasy baseball. Outside of the game’s elite talents, the lens through which fantasy managers gauge a player’s value is positional eligibility. Take Ceddanne Rafaela, for example.

Boston’s Gold Glove-winning centerfielder also carries second base eligibility, which is a huge deal for Rafaela’s fantasy profile. With second base shaping up to be a shallow position this year, Rafaela’s 20/20 potential starts looking pretty nice in the middle rounds if you miss out on fantasy’s top second base options. Take away Rafaela’s keystone eligibility, and you have a lot less interesting player. Sure, he could still be a fun draft day target, but Rafaela looks a lot less appealing if your only option is to stick him in an outfield slot where a multitude of talent abounds.

When positional eligibility means so much, knowing which players are set to gain a new fantasy position can be a huge advantage in your draft. Let’s take a look at 20 players who are set to gain new positional eligibility in 2026.

*ADP data is from all drafts on the NFBC platform since February 1, 2026

 

Bo Bichette — Current Eligibility: SS | New Eligibility: 3B — ADP: 99

Bichette is the poster boy for players changing positions this year. You’ll see a handful of the new-look New York Mets on this list, but Bichette is by far the most fantasy-relevant of the bunch.

After years of being one of the game’s worst fielding shortstops, Bichette’s newest team inked him to a three-year deal with the intention of playing him at the hot corner. Will his mediocre defense at short translate to being passable at third? Only time will tell, but his bat will play anywhere.

Bichette is coming off the best full season of his big league career if you use wRC+ as the measuring stick. His 134 mark last year was the 20th best among qualified MLB hitters. If it weren’t for Aaron Judge, Bichete’s .311 average would’ve been tied for the top mark in the American League. His 18 HR, 78 R, 94 RBI, and four SB counting stats go along well with that great batting average and should fit nicely near the top of the Mets’ lineup. Whether you target Bichette as your fantasy team’s starting shortstop or third baseman, his impending dual eligibility adds nice flexibility to any roster, especially in leagues with MI and CI spots.

 

Ivan Herrera — Current Eligibility: UT | New Eligibility: C — ADP 157

Defensive issues and a lingering elbow injury limited Herrera to just 14 starts behind the dish last year. Unlike most of his catching peers, Herrera’s bat is his calling card, so the St. Louis Cardinals happily plugged him into their DH spot and he rewarded them with a .284/.373/.464 slash line.

Herrera underwent offseason surgery to address his elbow issue, and is ramping up his throwing activity in the early days of Spring Training, so the hope is that he’s feeling good enough to move back behind the plate. While it sounds like the Cardinals are committed to at least giving him the chance to return to catching duties, they’ve also admitted that they’re open to trying him at first base and left field if he can no longer cut it as a backstop.

At just 25 years old, I’m hopeful Herrera can return to his natural position, because he’s a difference maker there on fantasy rosters. He hit .284 last year with 19 HR, 54 R, 66 RBI, and eight SB, numbers good enough to finish as the seventh-best catcher according to FanGraphs’ Auction Calculator. The closer we get to Opening Day, the clearer Herrera’s defensive home should become. If you’re drafting early, I’d be willing to draft Herrera at his current ADP. 12 catchers are currently being taken before him, and assuming he regains catcher eligibility, there’s a great chance he makes a run to finish top-five at the position.

 

Munetaka Murakami — Current Eligibility: 3B | New Eligibility: 1B — ADP 202

The Chicago White Sox surprised the baseball world by landing Murakami this winter, and while he largely played third base in Japan, he’s slated to see most of his playing time at first base in his MLB debut season. If you’re looking for big-time power in the middle to late rounds, Murakami might be your best option.

His big bopping power comes with sky-high strikeout rates — he hasn’t punched out at a rate below 28% since 2022 — so there’s certainly some risk that his game just doesn’t translate against MLB pitching. On the flip side, if he can acclimate to playing stateside and keep his strikeouts in check, he could quickly become one of MLB’s premier power bats.

 

Isaac Paredes — Current Eligibility: 3B | New Eligibility: 1B/2B — ADP 212

When the Houston Astros brought Carlos Correa back to Houston at last year’s trade deadline, it created a jam on the infield dirt. The way things shape up currently, going around the diamond starting at first base, the Astros will likely be deploying Christian Walker, Jose Altuve, Jeremy Peña, and Carlos Correa. With Yordan Alvarez entrenched at DH, that leaves Paredes without a starting job, unless the team is willing to make Altuve a full-time outfielder. While the Astros moving Altuve to left field certainly makes the most sense for their lineup, fielding-wise, the former AL MVP didn’t look stellar playing in front of the Crawford Boxes last year.

So what does the team do with Paredes? In the early days of Spring Training, he’s been seen playing second base, but the team is saying they expect to deploy him at different positions. Further complicating matters was the Astros not-so-secret shopping of Christian Walker on the trade block this offseason. If another team’s first base situation gets dire enough, perhaps Walker finally gets dealt, and Paredes takes over at first base.

Keep an eye on Houston’s depth chart this spring. An injury or trade would quickly add some clarity to this situation. From a fantasy perspective, Paredes’ value would skyrocket if he adds second base eligibility with how shallow the position is this year.

 

Jorge Polanco — Current Eligibility: 2B | New Eligibility: 1B — ADP 214

Here is one of the Mets’ other free agent acquisitions that reshaped their infield. Polanco is coming off his best season since 2021. He slashed .265/.326/.495 with 26 HR, 64 R, 78 RBI, and six SB in his second year in Seattle. To make things even more impressive, those strong numbers came while he battled a knee injury throughout the 2025 season.

Managers who draft Polanco will certainly enjoy the added flexibility his position change will provide, but for most fantasy rosters, it’ll make much more sense to keep him plugged into your second base slot.

 

Kazuma Okamoto — Current Eligibility: 3B | New Eligibility: 1B — ADP 214

Okamoto should be playing third base almost every day in Toronto, so while it may take a while, he should eventually add first base eligibility to his fantasy profile. He flipped back and forth pretty regularly between the infield corners during his time in Japan, and was even a full-time first baseman during the 2018, 2019, and 2024 seasons.

The Toronto Blue Jays like to give Vladimir Guerrero Jr. a rest day by slotting him in at DH, and when that happens, it seems likely that Okamoto slides over to first base. Vladdy appeared as the DH 24 times last year, so while Okamoto doesn’t seem like he’ll add first base eligibility quickly, if we see a repeat of last year, he should have it around the midpoint of the season.

 

Luis García Jr. — Current Eligibility: 2B | New Eligibility: 1B — ADP 234

The Washington Nationals‘ team defense has been quite an issue in recent years, and part of that blame rests on García’s shoulders. The 25-year-old has consistently graded out as a well-below-average fielder at the keystone according to Baseball Savant’s fielding metrics, and the new front office regime in the nation’s capital is making a change. García is reportedly going to be splitting time between first and second base during Spring Training games. While the club hasn’t publicly stated he’ll become the team’s full-time starter at first base, it sounds like he’ll at least bounce around the right side of the infield, so first base eligibility should come relatively quickly after Opening Day.

The talk of García moving positions may raise a little concern over whether or not he’ll receive full playing time, but he still seems to have more upside than the other infield options the Nationals have: Nasim Nuñez, Andrés Chaparro, and José Tena.

 

Caleb Durbin — Current Eligibility: 3B | New Eligibility: 2B — ADP 235

The Red Sox liked Durbin enough to go out and acquire him in a trade with the Brewers without even knowing where they’d slot him into their lineup. In his most recent comments about Durbin’s position, manager Alex Cora wouldn’t commit to how the team would handle second and third base. Durbin played more second base than third base as he came up through the Yankees’ minor league system, so it seems likely that if the Red Sox were to move one of Durbin or Marcelo Mayer to the keystone, Durbin would be the more likely candidate.

Durbin put up solid numbers in his rookie season last year, hitting .256 with 11 HR, 60 R, 53 RBI, and 18 SB across 136 games. Although his power metrics leave a lot to be desired, he has plenty of room for growth in the other fantasy categories as he moves to a better lineup in one of baseball’s best hitter’s parks. He could be a great, sneaky second base option in deep fantasy leagues if he does make the move across the diamond.

 

JJ Wetherholt — Current Eligibility: SS | New Eligibility: 2B — ADP 245

We’ve arrived at one of the most-watched Spring Training roster decisions. Will the Cardinals actually let Wetherholt break camp with the big league club after playing a total of just 138 minor league games?

If Wetherholt does make the Opening Day roster, he’ll almost assuredly be playing second base, as the Cardinals would be foolish to move Gold Glove-winning Masyn Winn off the position. Wetherholt doesn’t just have all the prospect hype, but he has actual results on the field to back it up. He slashed a combined .306/.421/.510 across Double-A and Triple-A last year. The closer we get to Opening Day without Wetherholt being sent to minor league camp, the more helium his draft stock will get. He’s a risky pick with the chance he doesn’t even see a big league diamond any time soon, but there’s a lot of potential reward in his profile if he makes the team and hits the ground running.

 

Luis Arraez — Current Eligibility: 1B | New Eligibility: 2B — ADP 264 (since signing Feb. 10)

Arraez signed with the San Francisco Giants this offseason, and his new club has already committed to moving him back to his original position: second base. His position shift will certainly make him more usable in fantasy leagues, but his batting-average-only toolset still gives him a very specific use case where you have to be at a point with your roster where you’re okay getting little to no production in the other categories.

If you’re interested in Arraez, check your fantasy platform’s positional eligibility rules. He appeared in 14 games at second base last year, so he may already have second base eligibility if your platform has loose position requirements.

 

Brendan Donovan — Current Eligibility: 2B | New Eligibility: 3B — ADP 269

The Seattle Mariners paid a pretty penny to acquire Donovan, and they’re planning to have him be their primary third baseman this season. Donovan’s offensive profile is limited by unimpressive power numbers, but you can bank on a great batting average from the 29-year-old utility man. The ability you’ll have to shift him around your lineup with his dual position eligibility is where his real value will lie. While third base looks to be his home in Seattle, he’s no stranger to the outfield and has played there often enough to gain fantasy eligibility during each of the last four seasons. It wouldn’t be surprising to see that happen again.

 

Spencer Steer — Current Eligibility: 1B | New Eligibility: OF — ADP 283

Steer is slated to play in the outfield and serve in a super utility role this year. Hearing a super utility role should be a red flag that Steer isn’t going to get a full allotment of playing time. We’re not too far removed from Steer putting up good fantasy seasons in 2023 and 2024, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him claw back some playing time if he gets off to a hot start at the plate.

 

Brett Baty — Current Eligibility: 2B, 3B | New Eligibility: OF — ADP 284

A casualty of the Mets’ bringing in both Bichette and Polanco this offseason is Baty’s home on the infield dirt. He’s been taking reps in left field this winter and is expected to factor into the outfield rotation as well as get at-bats as a DH. Baty slashed .254/.313/.435 last year with 18 HR, 53 R, 50 RBI, and eight SB in just 432 plate appearances. Still just 26 and as a former top prospect, it’d be great to get to see what he could do with 600 plate appearances, but with a crowded depth chart, that seems unlikely barring injury. Still, a hitter who put up the numbers he did last year with 2B, 3B, and OF eligibility is a nice asset in plenty of fantasy formats.

 

Matt Shaw — Current Eligibility: 3B | New Eligibility: OF — ADP 292

The Cubs’ signing of Alex Bregman this offseason severely dampened the second-year breakout hype surrounding Shaw. There’s certainly still a chance that Shaw takes a major step forward, but if he does, it’ll have to be in a utility role. The team is reportedly planning to have him start in right field against left-handed pitchers, and with his former shortstop pedigree and defensive prowess, he could likely move around the infield to give regular starters their days off. That may amount to Shaw having a lot of fantasy positional versatility late in the season, but the inconsistent nature of that fill-in role is hard to bank on. Count on Shaw getting outfield eligibility rather quickly, but with the Cubs’ position player core so defined, he’ll be hard-pressed to become a regular starter barring a major breakout campaign.

 

Andrés Giménez — Current Eligibility: 2B | New Eligibility: SS — ADP 378

Giménez has won three Gold Gloves as a second baseman and is shifting over to shortstop following Bichette’s departure from the Blue Jays. If you’re looking for late stolen base upside, Gimenez could be your guy. He stole 30 bases in both 2023 and 2024. An injury-riddled 2025 limited him to just 101 games and likely partly explains his dip in steals to 12.

 

Jordan Lawlar — Current Eligibility: 3B | New Eligibility: OF — ADP 392

We’ve been waiting for years for Lawlar to be both healthy and the Arizona Diamondbacks to give him everyday playing time. Perhaps 2026 will finally be the year we see the former top prospect take a starting job and run with it. He’ll reportedly be getting regular playing time in center field this spring, and with Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Corbin Carroll working their way back from injuries, Lawlar may finally get an extended run in the starting lineup.

 

Josh Smith — Current Eligibility: 1B, 3B, SS | New Eligibility: 2B — ADP 437

Smith is the utility man in today’s MLB. Or at least he was. After appearing at every position on the diamond except catcher last year, Smith is set to take over as the Texas Rangers‘ everyday second baseman in 2026. Smith was playing nearly every single day in a utility role the last two years, appearing in 149 and 144 games in 2024 and 2025, respectively, so the shift to a regular starting job isn’t coming with a big boost to his playing time projections. In deep fantasy formats, I love having a player like Smith on my bench that I can plug in nearly everywhere to cover injuries, and with his ADP sitting so low, I’m more than happy to take him with one of my final picks.

 

Gavin Sheets — Current Eligibility: OF | New Eligibility: 1B — ADP 510

San Diego Padres‘ manager Craig Stammen called Sheets the team’s top option at first base a few weeks ago, so you may be getting a sneaky full-time starting first baseman really late in drafts if you take Sheets. Like most lefty swingers going this late, there’s always a risk of Sheets being platooned, but the Padres did let him face a decent amount of lefties last year. Sheets posted an 89 wRC+ against southpaws compared to a 119 wRC+ against righties.

 

Bryce Eldridge — Current Eligibility: UT | New Eligibility: 1B — ADP 515

Eldridge is an absolutely massive human, measuring 6′ 7″ and 240 pounds, and as a prospect, he was great at getting to his enormous raw power. Prospect reports don’t wax poetic about Eldridge’s fielding prowess, but I find it hard to believe that he’ll be fully relegated to DH duties with Rafael Devers‘ questionable glove at first base.

After the Giants acquired Devers in a trade last summer, he appeared at DH in 60 of the 90 games he played for his new club. Part of that was likely Devers learning his new position, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see the willingness to stick Devers at DH carry over often enough that Eldridge gains eligibility at first base quickly.

 

Gavin Lux — Current Eligibility: OF | New Eligibility: 2B — ADP 599

The Tampa Bay Rays will be Lux’s third team in the last three years, and they’ve indicated that they’re planning on him being the team’s primary second baseman. Of course, the Rays are renowned for their desire to mix and match their lineup, so it’s hard to fully expect Lux to be the unquestioned starter unless he finally realizes some of the potential he carried as a top-ranked prospect years ago. Regardless, Lux is shifting back to second base after moving around the diamond in Cincinnati last year.

Feature image by Michael Packard (@CollectingPack on Twitter) | Photos by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire