If a player projects as a SS defensively but you play him somewhere else in the minors, will this hinder his development as a SS?  (Same for any position, really, just picked SS as the example because it is so important.)  That is, if you are playing him at 3b instead of SS as a young player, will that shape how his defensive ratings improve with seasoning?

Additionally: if you play someone as a DH in the minors, will he show no improvement defensively while playing DH?

I have been choosing my minor league lineup positions based on players' current defensive ratings, but if this is gonna hurt the defensive development of my guys with legit MLB chances, then obviously I should change my approach (slot them into their projected positions first, then fill in around them with minor league fodder).

I'll say don't worry about it.  I played one of my catchers as a full time DH for his first three minor league seasons.  Didn't let him catch full time till AAA.  His defensive ratings hit projections, which are borderline acceptable for a slugging C.

Players will develop towards their projected defensive ratings no matter where you play them on the field.

Maximo Walker played the first 161 games of his minor league career at DH until I moved him to first base yesterday.  Despite never playing the field, he had progressed 3 points each in both his glove and arm accuracy ratings this season.

OK, sounds good.  I saw someone in one of my league message boards talking about how players wouldn't develop as projected if not played at the right positions, which was the first I had heard of it... apparently he isn't right, which is good to know.

This has been discussed a few times.   I don't believe the developers would make a game where the best way to develop players would be to play them out of position.   If I wanted my slugging 1B to develop as much as possible defensively, it would stand to reason to play him at SS.   If the preceding was true.

From a developers chat -

Question: Is a player's defensive improvement dictated by his position? For example, will a player who projects 95s across the board defensively improve faster (or come closer to his projections) playing shortstop than he would if he played left field? It seems there is a ceiling on improvement of certain ratings at certain positions. (examinerebb - Hall of Famer - 4:43 PM)

WIS Answer: The skill and rate at which a player can improve is tied to the position he's playing. A projected SS will take longer to reach his peak fielding ability if he's playing 1B everyday as opposed to SS everyday. In fact, if you stick him at 1B he may never come close to his peak.

Uh oh

Posted by siberiansun on 12/12/2015 3:18:00 PM (view original):
Uh oh

I'm not so sure.  My guy who was developing defensively while playing exclusively as DH seems to contradict that.

Posted by tecwrg on 12/12/2015 3:57:00 PM (view original):

Posted by siberiansun on 12/12/2015 3:18:00 PM (view original):
Uh oh

I'm not so sure.  My guy who was developing defensively while playing exclusively as DH seems to contradict that.

Ditto.

My player was drafted as a C but his PC at draft time was only 29 and projected to 42.  Since I had better defensive Cs in Rookie Ball I put him at DH.  And since I'm in the NL, I even had him on the trade block at one point.

By the time he got to AA, I realized that his defensive ratings were improving anyway while playing full time DH.  At that point I started taking him as a potential major league C and moved him to C permanently.

Damag, what did the guys eventual PC get to who you are referring to?

Posted by damag on 12/12/2015 4:21:00 PM (view original):

Posted by tecwrg on 12/12/2015 3:57:00 PM (view original):

Posted by siberiansun on 12/12/2015 3:18:00 PM (view original):
Uh oh

I'm not so sure.  My guy who was developing defensively while playing exclusively as DH seems to contradict that.

Ditto.

My player was drafted as a C but his PC at draft time was only 29 and projected to 42.  Since I had better defensive Cs in Rookie Ball I put him at DH.  And since I'm in the NL, I even had him on the trade block at one point.

By the time he got to AA, I realized that his defensive ratings were improving anyway while playing full time DH.  At that point I started taking him as a potential major league C and moved him to C permanently.

I've seen the same thing. I was just putting that developer quote out there. I still think you play the player where he best fits based ont he average ratings, not what the sim 'says' he is. If a SS looks like a RF, then you play him at RF.

hockey, it's my C in Riley. His PC maxed at 44. Yes I know most owners won't use a C that low.

sjpoker, yes... players often come out of the draft or IFA with "wrong" positions. I reassign mine freely.

I set all my draftees primary and secondary positions on SIMMY's recs, based on projected ratings.  And that's where they play throughout their minor league careers.  When they make it to the majors, then I decide where they play based on current ratings and how I see them fitting on my roster.

The only exception would be if I have two ML prospects at the same position at the same minor league level.  Then, I will change one of their positions so that they both play full time.

So I can have a guy drafted as a SS, play his entire minor league career as a SS, and then play 3B full time once he reaches the majors.

Posted by damag on 12/12/2015 7:37:00 PM (view original):
hockey, it's my C in Riley. His PC maxed at 44. Yes I know most owners won't use a C that low.

sjpoker, yes... players often come out of the draft or IFA with "wrong" positions. I reassign mine freely.

My squad in Riley has a C with a PC of 34 who played 152 games.

Course that's just me being too stubborn to realize I have no place on my squad for him.

Posted by hockey1984 on 12/12/2015 9:29:00 PM (view original):

Posted by damag on 12/12/2015 7:37:00 PM (view original):
hockey, it's my C in Riley. His PC maxed at 44. Yes I know most owners won't use a C that low.

sjpoker, yes... players often come out of the draft or IFA with "wrong" positions. I reassign mine freely.

My squad in Riley has a C with a PC of 34 who played 152 games.

Course that's just me being too stubborn to realize I have no place on my squad for him.

So you won a WS with a starting C with PC under 40.  Kind of runs counter to the accepted norm, no?