Want versatility? In MLB, that’s what you get with shortstops.
The major leagues resumed spring training in 1946 for the first time since 1942 (due to World War II). Arthur Daley of The New York Times penned a column about the reopening, including several of its oddities. He mentioned, for example, that “The Pirates have nine shortstops.”
Duane Kuiper, announcer for the San Francisco Giants and former MLB second baseman, once noted that the shortstop — the most athletic team member — is capable of successfully converting to other positions. So, while the Pirates may have technically had nine shortstops in spring training, most of them would be asked to play other positions.
The prolific Robin Yount (graphic from Threads courtesy of NetEliteBaseball)
One of the most notable switches is from shortstop to center field, and in one famous instance, from center field to shortstop. Robin Yount of the Milwaukee Brewers won an MVP playing shortstop in 1982. A shoulder injury forced him to relocate to center field, where he won a second AL MVP award in 1990.
Trea Turner, primarily a shortstop, played 44 games in center field for the Washington Nationals in the 2016 season because the middle infield was loaded. He returned full-time to the infield in 2017.
Oneil Cruz, the 6-foot-7 Pittsburgh Pirate, broke in as the tallest primary shortstop in MLB history before the team moved him to center field to take advantage of his great range and athleticism.
In 2023 with the St. Louis Cardinals, Tommy Edman played 48 games at shortstop and 42 games in center field. When he joined the Dodgers in 2024, he also logged games at both positions.
Speaking of the Dodgers, Derrel Thomas played all eight non-pitching positions in his five years with the Dodgers (1979-83). In 1980, he played 49 games at shortstop and 41 games in center field, including 10 games where he played both positions.
More Dodgers: Davey Lopes was the team’s anchor at second base, but in 1975 he also started 19 games in center field and played 14 games at shortstop. In 1984 at age 35, Bill Russell started 19 games at shortstop and 16 in center field. Kiké Hernández has played both shortstop and center field extensively as well as almost every other position. Chris Taylor played hundreds of games at shortstop, often filling in during injuries to regular starters like Corey Seager, then transitioned smoothly to center field under manager Dave Roberts, covering when Cody Bellinger was injured, for example.
Now, how about the most celebrated move from center field to shortstop? (Not Mookie Betts—he transitioned from right field to shortstop).
Mickey Stanley photo courtesy @MickeyStanley24 on Facebook
Mickey Stanley’s transition from center field to shortstop for the Detroit Tigers in the 1968 World Series remains one of the boldest and most famous coaching gambles in baseball history. During the regular season, Stanley was the Tigers’ everyday, Gold Glove-winning center fielder. But Ray Oyler, great defensively at shortstop, batted just .135.
Meanwhile, legendary Tigers outfielder Al Kaline had missed significant time with a broken arm. When Kaline returned late in the year, manager Mayo Smith faced a dilemma: he had four superb outfielders (Kaline, Stanley, Willie Horton, and Jim Northrup) but only three spots. Desperate for more offense in the lineup against the St. Louis Cardinals, Smith made the momentous decision to start Stanley at shortstop for the entire seven-game series.
Smith prepared Stanley for the task by playing him at short late in the regular season. After the Tigers clinched the pennant, Stanley started at shortstop in six of the final nine games of the regular season. Stanley made only two errors over the course of the seven-game series, neither of which led to St. Louis runs. While he only batted .214 for the series, his presence at shortstop allowed the Tigers to maximize their offensive output. Kaline anchored the outfield and batted a sparkling .379 with two home runs and eight RBIs.
In large part due to Mayo Smith’s tactical gamble and the historic pitching of World Series MVP Mickey Lolich, the Tigers rallied from a 3-1 series deficit to defeat the Cardinals in seven games.
In 2026, Tyler Callihan of the Pittsburgh Pirates is aiming to become the 24th player in MLB history to play all nine positions, joining Pirates manager Don Kelly, who did it over his nine-year major league career.
Only ten players have appeared at all nine spots in one season. Amazingly, five have done it in one game. They are:
Bert Campaneris had a long and distinguished career (photo, SI cover, October 1973)
Andrew Romine, Tigers, September 30, 2017, at Twins. He helped turn a 4-6-3 double play at shortstop.
Shane Halter, Tigers, October 1, 2000, vs. Twins. He went 4-for-5 with three RBIs.
Scott Sheldon, Rangers, September 6, 2000, at White Sox. He didn’t enter the game until the fourth inning, then played two positions per inning in two of the innings. The highlight of his appearance came on the mound when he struck out Jeff Liefer on five pitches, the final a 67 mph “changeup.”
Cesar Tovar, Twins, September 22, 1968, vs. A’s. He got the hard part out of the way by starting on the mound, where he pitched a scoreless inning in which he struck out Reggie Jackson.
Bert Campaneris, A’s, September 8, 1965, vs. Angels. Campy became the first player in MLB history to play all nine positions in one game. The California Angels were unhappy about what was essentially a publicity stunt, with Angels manager Bill Rigney telling the Long Beach Press-Telegram that Campaneris’s plan to play every position was “bush.”
Tensions were high from the start and culminated in the ninth inning when Campaneris was behind the plate. The Angels’ Ed Kirkpatrick led off with a single, stole second, and ended up at third base with two outs. He took off towards home on a pitch in the dirt, which resulted in a jarring collision with Campaneris that nearly ended with the two of them coming to blows.
The game went extra innings, but Campaneris missed the end, sent to St. Luke’s Hospital due to a left shoulder injury sustained in the collision.
Love those shortstops! “Versatility” is their name.
