Diamondbacks' Wilmer Flores: Could be primary second baseman
The Diamondbacks are expected to deploy Flores as their primary second baseman this season, Zach Buchanan of The Athletic reports.
Barring any major additions to the roster before the end of spring training, Flores, who inked a one-year, $4.25 million deal earlier this month, will have the best opportunity of his career to claim a full-time gig. Flores never exceeded 500 plate appearances during any of his six seasons with the Mets, despite providing near league-average production (.262/.303/.424 slash line, 99 wRC+) over his 2,011 plate appearances. Though the keystone is the one infield spot where Flores has seen his least MLB action to date, the Diamondbacks are apparently confident that with some further instruction during the spring, he can be a passable defender at the position. Arizona's addition of Flores likely means that Ketel Marte will vie for the team's top job in center field after logging most of his starts at second base in 2018.
