The play of Reds' prospect Jonathan India and the off season conditioning of Eugenio Suarez has caused a "musical chairs' effect in the Reds' infield.
Suarez moved to third base to break into the Reds' lineup after the 2015 season and made the All-Star team in 2018. He hit a career-high 49 home runs in 2019 to become the highest single season home run hitter from Venezuela.
After a brief, bad 2020 season, Suarez worked on his body, shedding body fat and increasing his mobility. The result planted the idea in Reds' management to put Suarez back at his natural shortstop position.
Mike Moustakas played mostly third base in his seven years in the Kansas City organization was moved to second base in the National League with the Milwaukee Brewers and the Reds.
India was switched from third base where he played at the University of Florida to second base last season at the Reds' alternative site at Prasco Park in Mason.
"I'm getting comfortable there," said India, the Reds' top pick in the 2018 draft "I started out slowly with the organization (hitting .240 at Dayton, Greenville and Billings). I am just having fun now and playing baseball. Mike Moustaka told me to just be an athlete and play."
India has taken the advice and is making an impression.
He is hitting .333 in 12 games coming into his start against the Colorado Rockies with Suarez at short and Moustakas at third. He has one home run.
Suraez texted a video of India's home run.
"It was cool that someone like him would send that to me," India said.
"Jonathan is my favorite player here," Suarez said. "He just likes to play baseball. I like that."
The players have bought into the moves.
"That's what makes this a good option," manager David Bell said. "The guys have all bought into it. On any winning team I've ever been on players have been willing to take on new roles. We talkedabout it and decided if we are going to do this, we have to do it now with two weeks to go in spring training. We don't know if it will be permanent but we have to get an idea now."
Kyle Farmer has openly coveted the position at shortstop. Bell talked with him about still getting his work in at the position the rest of spring. Farmer played first base against the Rockies. Joey Votto will be out at least four more days after testing positive for Covid.
Another candidate for the short stop position is Dee Strange-Gordon. The 32-year old, stolen base king broke into the Major Leagues as a shortstop in 2011 with the Los Angeles Dodgers but has played just 16 games at the position since moving to second base himself in 2013.
The Reds signed him as a free agent on February 11.
"He still looks like the same athlete that I saw play when I managed in the minor leagues," Bell said.
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