New York Mets second baseman Neil Walker has expressed a willingness to play other positions if it would help the Mets according to Anthony DiComo on Twitter.
Walker, 31, is coming off from a great offensive first season with the Mets in which he slashed .282/.347/.476 with nine doubles, 23 home runs (tied career high) and 55 runs batted in. He also had a fine year defensively as he posted a career best 9.3 UZR in 111 games at second for the Mets.
The switch-hitting veteran had his 2016 season cut short though, because he needed surgery to repair a herniated disk in his back. He would get, and accept the qualifying offer of $17.2 million to return to the Mets for the 2017 season.
Walker was originally drafted as a catcher in 2004 and played that position exclusively until 2007. Over this next three seasons he would play third base only in the minor leagues for the Pirates and he would make his major league debut with nine games at third in 2009.
In 2010 for Triple-A Indianapolis, Walker played third base, first base, left field and got his first professional exposure to second. That same 2010 season he would make his major league debut at second base, where he would play 105 games. Since 2011, Walker has played nothing but second base.
Overall in his professional career, Walker has played 439 games at third, ten at first, 942 at second, 14 in left field, and 202 behind the plate.
Walker never played any third base last year for the Mets despite the season-ending injury to David Wright. Many wondered if he could shift to third which would also allow the Mets to promote Dilson Herrera to play second base.
In the end, the Mets signed Jose Reyes to play third base and traded away Herrera. The Mets also have Wilmer Flores, T.J. Rivera, Ty Kelly and Matt Reynolds on their 40-man roster that are capable of playing third.
