Fernando Tatis Jr. spent 2026 as one of the Padres’ biggest shape-shifters, and the way he handled a part-time move to second base may have opened the door to something even bigger down the line.
What started as an eyebrow-raising experiment turned into a legitimate talking point for San Diego: could Tatis become a full-time second baseman in 2027? That question hangs over the offseason as president of baseball operations/GM A.J. Preller and manager Craig Stammen sort through the roster.
Tatis’ first start at second base came on April 11, when he also hit second and went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a walk in San Diego’s 9-5 loss to the Colorado Rockies. In the field, he looked comfortable right away, handling two easy popups, cleanly fielding a ground ball and helping complete a double play. He also had been working at second during batting practice, which made the move less shocking once it finally happened.
The idea wasn’t completely out of nowhere. Tatis had spent his first three seasons in San Diego mostly at shortstop before moving to right field for the 2023-25 seasons, with just one inning at second in 2023.
According to A.J. Cassavell of MLB.com, Stammen first floated the second-base idea during the 2025 offseason, and Tatis was on board immediately.
“I didn’t quite believe it,” admitted Tatis, according to the writer. “But here we are.”
Stammen’s first impression was just as positive. After that initial start, he said, “He looked like a normal everyday second baseman,” he said at the time. “With a rocket arm on a double play.”
Tatis also told Cassavell that the position keeps him more plugged into the action. “It’s probably a little bit - I don’t want to say I’m more focused - but it’s just more quick action in there.
You’ve got double plays. You’ve got people on first, people on second.
You just get more involved.”
The numbers were solid, if not sparkling. Tatis posted a .979 fielding percentage in 53 games at second, including 50 starts, a touch below the MLB average of .987 for second basemen. He also finished with 115 assists, 71 putouts and 19 double plays turned.
Still, the Padres didn’t bring up the subject publicly when Preller and Stammen spoke with MLB media on Oct. 16, which made the whole situation feel a little unfinished. Is Tatis headed back to a regular right-field job in 2027, or does second base remain part of the plan?
There are plenty of roster dominoes that could force the issue. Ty France is a free agent after a career year.
If he leaves, Jake Cronenworth could move from second to first, which would leave Tatis as an option at the keystone. Preller could also, depending on how the payroll shakes out, try to trade shortstop Xander Bogaerts, opening another path for Cronenworth to shift to short or for Sung-Mun Song to get more run, though relying on Song would be risky because of his injury history.
Right field has its own uncertainty. Ramon Laureano, who has played the spot extensively with the Oakland A’s, Cleveland Guardians, Atlanta Braves and Baltimore Orioles, ended 2026 on the injured list after right hip surgery and is a free agent.
Beyond him, the Padres don’t have a clear in-house answer. After Tatis’ 120 games, the players who logged the most time in right this season were Jase Bowen and Dustin Harris, who combined for 97 games there, with 25 and 11 appearances, respectively.
That profile points more toward bench roles in 2027, though Harris did start four of San Diego’s six playoff games in left. Nick Castellanos also appeared in 19 games in right before being released on June 5.
The farm system doesn’t offer an immediate fix either. Alex McCoy is getting off to a strong start in the Arizona Fall League, but he remains at least one, and possibly two, years away from helping the big club.
MLB Pipeline’s closest minor league outfielders to the majors are still well back in the organizational rankings: Braedon Karpathios at No. 19, Jake Cunningham at No. 25 and McCoy at No.
For now, the safest read is that Tatis will remain in the outfield in 2027. But with Preller always willing to swing big, nothing feels locked in. The Padres may well decide to stay the course - or they may find themselves pushing Tatis back onto the dirt for good.
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