Cubs prospect Addison Russell to play second base for first time
Cubs shortstop prospect Addison Russell will play his first game at second base for the Iowa Cubs tonight, MLB.com's Carrie Muskat reports.
The Cubs start three-time all-star Starlin Castro at shortstop and last year shifted fellow shortstop Javier Baez to second base.
Russell, ranked baseball's No. 3 prospect by Baseball America, came to the Cubs from the Oakland A's last season in exchange for Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel. He has hit .300 with an .897 OPS in four minor-league seasons.
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After sending Baez to the minor leagues to start the season, the Cubs have played Tommy La Stella and Arismendy Alcantara at second base and Castro at short.
Castro is under contract in Chicago until 2019 but has said he would willingly switch positions if one of the team's prospects was better suited as shortstop. The 25-year-old led the National League in errors by a shortstop for three straight years from 2011-2013. He is batting .323 in 2015 and has committed one error.
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