Exclusive: Dodgers’ Mookie Betts Provides Exciting Update on Playing Shortstop in 2025

The Mookie Betts experiment at shortstop is going to make a return during spring training.

The Los Angeles Dodgers remain confident that Betts will be their Opening Day shortstop, expecting that an offseason of work with new first-base coach Chris Woodward will lead to defensive improvements — something difficult to achieve during his brief stint at the position last season.

“I feel like I’m just a completely new person out there,” Betts said of his work at the position this winter during Dodger Fest on Saturday.

Dodgers' Mookie Betts Provides Exciting Update on Playing Shortstop in 2025 | Dodgers Nation

Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes made Betts’ move back to the infield official during the Winter Meetings, announcing Betts was going to be given an opportunity at the position again.

“He’s ready for the challenge,” Gomes said. “He feels like, with a full offseason, he can go and tackle that. Like we’ve said before, he’s one of the guys that I certainly wouldn’t bet against.”

Betts, a six-time Gold Glove winner in right field, transitioned to second base during spring training last year, then shifted to shortstop to start the season before returning to right field on Aug. 12 after recovering from a fractured hand.

 

“I think with Mook what was most impressive, if you look at all of the most challenging parts of the position, he does really well. And where he struggled was throwing,” Gomes said. “You go watch him in right field it’s one of the best arms in the game. It’s incredibly accurate.

“So those things that are most challenging to teach — getting off the ball, range, making exceptional plays, his pre-pitch timing — he nailed those. It was really syncing up his throw from that because he’s been so used to the outfield throw.

So I think that’ll be the majority of his work is how does he access what is an elite arm and have that translate to the infield.”

With Betts penciled in at short, Tommy Edman will play more center field. Hyeseong Kim will most likely play second base and Miguel Rojas will return to his utility backup role.

The same goes for Chris Taylor.

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