3 NY Mets players who’ll have a new primary position before their contract runs out

Don’t tell New York Mets fans about position changes. It was a hot topic throughout the offseason and in 2026 season became more of a footnote. Bo Bichette can be regarded as a success moving from shortstop to third base. Even if he’s merely league average, it’s better to blend in than to stand out as one of the worst at his previous spot on the diamond. Trying to fit the Jorge Polanco puzzle piece at first base was a failure in every way possible. Less discussed because we already knew how it would go, Mark Vientos the first baseman isn’t going to work.

The Mets are sure to make some other position changes in the future. Whether it’s David Stearns or someone else making the call, we can expect these other three Mets to have a new primary position before their contract is over.

Three Mets players who’ll have a new primary position before their contract runs out

1) Juan Soto to first base

The most talked about position change sends Juan Soto from the outfield to first base. A passing of the torch for many outfielders, the transition from having to chase down fly balls to playing the position on the field with arguably the least amount of range needed is something that’ll call Soto at some point in the future. Exactly when? That has yet to be determined. 

Multiple calf injuries in 2026 send a signal that Soto is not invincible. I’d expect a slow transition with maybe only a small sampling in 2027 or 2028 before a more regular swapping between spots. A lot will depend on what Soto wants. The Mets have shown they’ll do whatever they can to make him happy.

2) Francisco Lindor to second base or third base

Francisco Lindor isn’t going to end his Mets tenure as their starting shortstop. Another common trend in baseball is for shortstops, even the best defenders, to move left or right one spot. Does Lindor end up at second base or third base? No hint yet because he has never played a position other than shortstop in his major league career, it’ll probably depend on the shape of the rest of the roster. 

I’d expect the Mets keep Lindor at shortstop a year too long before asking him to learn his next position. The big hiccup here is if Lindor actually plays out his contract as a member of the Mets. Five more years after the current season, he has shown all of the signs of a declining defender this season. He has made 10 errors this season, including another on Tuesday. He has managed to escape from some others as well, including one the day prior on a ball that skipped over him. Don't bother diving too deep into trying to find some spin. What you've seen is the truth: he's not the Gold Glove contender he used to be.

3) Marcus Semien at first base

Before Soto takes over as the main first baseman for the Mets, we’re going to see Marcus Semien there. Will he make it through two more years on the Mets roster? His bat needs to liven up.

Several steps backwards at second base in 2026, Semien has looked every minute of his age. The natural transition from middle infielder to first baseman is already calling him. While he probably won’t become the starting first baseman for the Mets in terms of the guy getting the most at-bats, it’s not implausible that he plays more first base than any other position before his time in New York runs out. The Mets have way too many middle infield prospects and few first base solutions for him to avoid first base altogether.

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