{"id":499369,"date":"2026-02-23T18:54:07","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T18:54:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/499369\/"},"modified":"2026-02-23T18:54:07","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T18:54:07","slug":"hidden-value-players-adding-new-positional-eligibility-in-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/499369\/","title":{"rendered":"Hidden Value: Players Adding New Positional Eligibility in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

Positional eligibility means everything in fantasy baseball. Outside of the game\u2019s elite talents, the lens through which fantasy managers gauge a player\u2019s value is positional eligibility. Take Ceddanne Rafaela<\/a>, for example.<\/p>\n

Boston\u2019s Gold Glove-winning centerfielder also carries second base eligibility, which is a huge deal for Rafaela\u2019s fantasy profile. With second base shaping up to be a shallow position this year, Rafaela\u2019s 20\/20 potential starts looking pretty nice in the middle rounds if you miss out on fantasy\u2019s top second base options. Take away Rafaela\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s take a look at 20 players who are set to gain new positional eligibility in 2026.<\/p>\n

*ADP data is from all drafts on the NFBC platform since February 1, 2026<\/p>\n

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Bo Bichette<\/a> \u2014 Current Eligibility: SS | New Eligibility: 3B \u2014 ADP: 99<\/p>\n

Bichette is the poster boy for players changing positions this year. You\u2019ll see a handful of the new-look New York Mets<\/a> on this list, but Bichette is by far the most fantasy-relevant of the bunch.<\/p>\n

After years of being one of the game\u2019s worst fielding shortstops, Bichette\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

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\u2019t for Aaron Judge<\/a>, Bichete\u2019s .311 average would\u2019ve 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\u2019 lineup. Whether you target Bichette as your fantasy team\u2019s starting shortstop or third baseman, his impending dual eligibility adds nice flexibility to any roster, especially in leagues with MI and CI spots.<\/p>\n

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Ivan Herrera<\/a> \u2014 Current Eligibility: UT | New Eligibility: C \u2014 ADP 157<\/p>\n

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\u2019s bat is his calling card, so the St. Louis Cardinals<\/a> happily plugged him into their DH spot and he rewarded them with a .284\/.373\/.464 slash line.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s 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\u2019ve also admitted that they\u2019re open to trying him at first base and left field if he can no longer cut it as a backstop.<\/p>\n

At just 25 years old, I\u2019m hopeful Herrera can return to his natural position, because he\u2019s 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\u2019 Auction Calculator. The closer we get to Opening Day, the clearer Herrera\u2019s defensive home should become. If you\u2019re drafting early, I\u2019d be willing to draft Herrera at his current ADP. 12 catchers are currently being taken before him, and assuming he regains catcher eligibility, there\u2019s a great chance he makes a run to finish top-five at the position.<\/p>\n

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Munetaka Murakami<\/a> \u2014 Current Eligibility: 3B | New Eligibility: 1B \u2014 ADP 202<\/p>\n

The Chicago White Sox<\/a> surprised the baseball world by landing Murakami this winter, and while he largely played third base in Japan, he\u2019s slated to see most of his playing time at first base in his MLB debut season. If you\u2019re looking for big-time power in the middle to late rounds, Murakami might be your best option.<\/p>\n

His big bopping power comes with sky-high strikeout rates \u2014 he hasn\u2019t punched out at a rate below 28% since 2022 \u2014 so there\u2019s certainly some risk that his game just doesn\u2019t 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\u2019s premier power bats.<\/p>\n

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Isaac Paredes<\/a> \u2014 Current Eligibility: 3B | New Eligibility: 1B\/2B \u2014 ADP 212<\/p>\n

When the Houston Astros<\/a> brought Carlos Correa<\/a> back to Houston at last year\u2019s 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<\/a>, Jose Altuve<\/a>, Jeremy Pe\u00f1a<\/a>, and Carlos Correa<\/a>. With Yordan Alvarez<\/a> 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\u2019t look stellar playing in front of the Crawford Boxes last year.<\/p>\n

So what does the team do with Paredes? In the early days of Spring Training, he\u2019s 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<\/a> on the trade block this offseason. If another team\u2019s first base situation gets dire enough, perhaps Walker finally gets dealt, and Paredes takes over at first base.<\/p>\n

Keep an eye on Houston\u2019s depth chart this spring. An injury or trade would quickly add some clarity to this situation. From a fantasy perspective, Paredes\u2019 value would skyrocket if he adds second base eligibility with how shallow the position is this year.<\/p>\n

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Jorge Polanco<\/a> \u2014 Current Eligibility: 2B | New Eligibility: 1B \u2014 ADP 214<\/p>\n

Here is one of the Mets\u2019 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.<\/p>\n

Managers who draft Polanco will certainly enjoy the added flexibility his position change will provide, but for most fantasy rosters, it\u2019ll make much more sense to keep him plugged into your second base slot.<\/p>\n

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Kazuma Okamoto<\/a> \u2014 Current Eligibility: 3B | New Eligibility: 1B \u2014 ADP 214<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The Toronto Blue Jays<\/a> like to give Vladimir Guerrero Jr.<\/a>\u00a0a 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\u2019t seem like he\u2019ll add first base eligibility quickly, if we see a repeat of last year, he should have it around the midpoint of the season.<\/p>\n

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Luis Garc\u00eda Jr.<\/a> \u2014 Current Eligibility: 2B | New Eligibility: 1B \u2014 ADP 234<\/p>\n

The Washington Nationals<\/a>\u2018 team defense has been quite an issue in recent years, and part of that blame rests on Garc\u00eda\u2019s shoulders. The 25-year-old has consistently graded out as a well-below-average fielder at the keystone according to Baseball Savant\u2019s fielding metrics, and the new front office regime in the nation\u2019s capital is making a change. Garc\u00eda is reportedly going to be splitting time between first and second base during Spring Training games. While the club hasn\u2019t publicly stated he\u2019ll become the team\u2019s full-time starter at first base, it sounds like he\u2019ll at least bounce around the right side of the infield, so first base eligibility should come relatively quickly after Opening Day.<\/p>\n

The talk of Garc\u00eda moving positions may raise a little concern over whether or not he\u2019ll receive full playing time, but he still seems to have more upside than the other infield options the Nationals have: Nasim Nu\u00f1ez<\/a>, Andr\u00e9s Chaparro<\/a>, and Jos\u00e9 Tena<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Caleb Durbin<\/a> \u2014 Current Eligibility: 3B | New Eligibility: 2B \u2014 ADP 235<\/p>\n

The Red Sox liked Durbin enough to go out and acquire him in a trade with the Brewers without even knowing where they\u2019d slot him into their lineup. In his most recent comments about Durbin\u2019s position, manager Alex Cora wouldn\u2019t 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\u2019 minor league system, so it seems likely that if the Red Sox were to move one of Durbin or Marcelo Mayer<\/a> to the keystone, Durbin would be the more likely candidate.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s best hitter\u2019s parks. He could be a great, sneaky second base option in deep fantasy leagues if he does make the move across the diamond.<\/p>\n

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JJ Wetherholt<\/a> \u2014 Current Eligibility: SS | New Eligibility: 2B \u2014 ADP 245<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve 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?<\/p>\n

If Wetherholt does make the Opening Day roster, he\u2019ll almost assuredly be playing second base, as the Cardinals would be foolish to move Gold Glove-winning Masyn Winn<\/a> off the position. Wetherholt doesn\u2019t 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\u2019s a risky pick with the chance he doesn\u2019t even see a big league diamond any time soon, but there\u2019s a lot of potential reward in his profile if he makes the team and hits the ground running.<\/p>\n

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Luis Arraez<\/a> \u2014 Current Eligibility: 1B | New Eligibility: 2B \u2014 ADP 264 (since signing Feb. 10)<\/p>\n

Arraez signed with the San Francisco Giants<\/a> 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\u2019re okay getting little to no production in the other categories.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re interested in Arraez, check your fantasy platform\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

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Brendan Donovan<\/a> \u2014 Current Eligibility: 2B | New Eligibility: 3B \u2014 ADP 269<\/p>\n

The Seattle Mariners<\/a> paid a pretty penny to acquire Donovan, and they\u2019re planning to have him be their primary third baseman this season. Donovan\u2019s 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\u2019ll 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\u2019s no stranger to the outfield and has played there often enough to gain fantasy eligibility during each of the last four seasons. It wouldn\u2019t be surprising to see that happen again.<\/p>\n

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Spencer Steer<\/a> \u2014 Current Eligibility: 1B | New Eligibility: OF \u2014 ADP 283<\/p>\n

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\u2019t going to get a full allotment of playing time. We\u2019re not too far removed from Steer putting up good fantasy seasons in 2023 and 2024, so it wouldn\u2019t be surprising to see him claw back some playing time if he gets off to a hot start at the plate.<\/p>\n

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Brett Baty<\/a> \u2014 Current Eligibility: 2B, 3B | New Eligibility: OF \u2014 ADP 284<\/p>\n

A casualty of the Mets\u2019 bringing in both Bichette and Polanco this offseason is Baty\u2019s home on the infield dirt. He\u2019s 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\u2019d 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.<\/p>\n

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Matt Shaw<\/a> \u2014 Current Eligibility: 3B | New Eligibility: OF \u2014 ADP 292<\/p>\n

The Cubs\u2019 signing of Alex Bregman<\/a> this offseason severely dampened the second-year breakout hype surrounding Shaw. There\u2019s certainly still a chance that Shaw takes a major step forward, but if he does, it\u2019ll 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\u2019 position player core so defined, he\u2019ll be hard-pressed to become a regular starter barring a major breakout campaign.<\/p>\n

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Andr\u00e9s Gim\u00e9nez<\/a> \u2014 Current Eligibility: 2B | New Eligibility: SS \u2014 ADP 378<\/p>\n

Gim\u00e9nez has won three Gold Gloves as a second baseman and is shifting over to shortstop following Bichette\u2019s departure from the Blue Jays. If you\u2019re 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.<\/p>\n

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Jordan Lawlar<\/a> \u2014 Current Eligibility: 3B | New Eligibility: OF \u2014 ADP 392<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve been waiting for years for Lawlar to be both healthy and the Arizona Diamondbacks<\/a> 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\u2019ll reportedly be getting regular playing time in center field this spring, and with Lourdes Gurriel Jr.<\/a> and Corbin Carroll<\/a> working their way back from injuries, Lawlar may finally get an extended run in the starting lineup.<\/p>\n

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Josh Smith<\/a> \u2014 Current Eligibility: 1B, 3B, SS | New Eligibility: 2B \u2014 ADP 437<\/p>\n

Smith is the utility man in today\u2019s 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<\/a>\u2018 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\u2019t 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\u2019m more than happy to take him with one of my final picks.<\/p>\n

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Gavin Sheets<\/a> \u2014 Current Eligibility: OF | New Eligibility: 1B \u2014\u00a0ADP 510<\/p>\n

San Diego Padres<\/a>\u2018 manager Craig Stammen<\/a> called Sheets the team\u2019s 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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

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Bryce Eldridge<\/a> \u2014 Current Eligibility: UT | New Eligibility: 1B \u2014 ADP 515<\/p>\n

Eldridge is an absolutely massive human, measuring 6\u2032 7\u2033 and 240 pounds, and as a prospect, he was great at getting to his enormous raw power. Prospect reports don\u2019t wax poetic about Eldridge\u2019s fielding prowess, but I find it hard to believe that he\u2019ll be fully relegated to DH duties with Rafael Devers<\/a>\u2018 questionable glove at first base.<\/p>\n

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\u2019t surprise me to see the willingness to stick Devers at DH carry over often enough that Eldridge gains eligibility at first base quickly.<\/p>\n

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Gavin Lux<\/a> \u2014 Current Eligibility: OF | New Eligibility: 2B \u2014\u00a0ADP 599<\/p>\n

The Tampa Bay Rays<\/a> will be Lux\u2019s third team in the last three years, and they\u2019ve indicated that they\u2019re planning on him being the team\u2019s primary second baseman. Of course, the Rays are renowned for their desire to mix and match their lineup, so it\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

Feature image by Michael Packard (@CollectingPack<\/a> on Twitter) | Photos by Keith Gillett\/Icon Sportswire<\/p>\n