Bo Bichette Reportedly Open To Playing Second Base

"Bichette's defensive fit has been the biggest question of his free agency process. He has played 6184 career regular season innings, all of them at shortstop. Public metrics haven't looked favorably upon his work. Statcast has graded Bichette as an average or worse defender for virtually his entire career. Defensive Runs Saved was more positive over his first few seasons but has had him in the red in three of the past four years."

"It's more a problem of range than any concern about his hands. He has only committed 11 fielding errors over the last three years, which isn't many for a player who has logged almost 3000 innings at the infield's most demanding position. He's tied for ninth with 16 throwing errors in that stretch. He ranks middle of the pack in arm strength and is a below-average runner who doesn't have great mobility."

Bo Bichette is telling interested teams that he will accept signing as a second baseman. He has logged 6,184 career regular-season innings at shortstop. Statcast and public defensive metrics have rated his defense average or worse for most of his career. Defensive Runs Saved was positive early but negative in three of the last four seasons; since 2023 he ranks near the bottom in Outs Above Average and DRS. The defensive issue centers on limited range rather than poor hands, with few fielding errors but below-average running and mobility. A move to second could mitigate problems on balls from right-handed hitters.

Read at MLB Trade Rumors