Can Zach Dezenzo Play Left Field? He Will Have To
Zach Dezenzo's future is as a utility man, not as an everyday player. To maximize his value to the Astros, he will have to learn to play the outfield, starting this year in Spring Training.
This offseason, the Astros front office patched the hole at the hole at third base created by the departure of Alex Bregman by trading for Isaac Paredes. This created a different issue. Paredes was part of the return for Kyle Tucker and that move created an opening in the outfield.
Thus, one of the big questions for the Astros this Spring Training is who is going to play in the outfield. The team will likely shift Chas McCormick to right field to cover Tucker’s spot and keep Jake Meyers in center field. The team acquired a pair of left handed outfielders to compete for a roster spot in Taylor Trammell and Ben Gamel. Mauricio Dubon will likely get time in left and center as part of his duties as a utility man, and Yordan Alvarez will get an occasional day in left field, especially when Joe Espada wants to keep Yainer Diaz’s bat in the lineup while giving him some time off behind the plate.
One other option has emerged this offseason in prospect Zach Dezenzo. There is obviously one issue with putting Dezenzo in the outfield. He’s an infielder. Or to put it another way, Dezenzo has played 409 games over the last 6 seasons at Ohio State, in college summer leagues, the minor leagues, and the Arizona Fall League. He has played all of them in the infield.
An Outfield Apprenticeship
Toward the end of last season, Dezenzo stuck his toe in the water of playing outfield, manning left field for 3 games in Sugar Land. Dezenzo continued his apprenticeship in left field while playing in the Puerto Rican Winter League this offseason. There, Dezenso started 8 games in left field (and 9 at first base).
At Fan Fest last month, Dezenzo had positive things to say about his experience in Puerto Rico. “The whole goal for me going out there was to get reps in the outfield and get more at-bats,” Dezenzo said. And getting those at-bats, continuing to play, was big. I get better when I’m playing. So I think being in those game environments, atmosphere and situation was good for me.”
Dezenzo will “get a lot of run in left field in spring training” according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic, reporting on Joe Espada’s media session at Fan Fest.
No Room at the Inn in the Infield
What is driving the Astros to try Dezenzo in left field? One answer is obvious. They have a big need in the outfield but do not have one in the infield.
With the acquisition of Paredes and the signing of first baseman Christian Walker, the Astros have closed off the two positions Dezenzo played the most in the minor leagues. But by dealing Tucker and only picking up players who were DFA’ed in 2024, the Astros have opening in the outfield. That’s where the opportunity is for Dezenzo.
Can Dezenzo play left field? At some level, anyone can stand in the outfield while wearing a glove, so the answer is yes. The more serious answer is we don’t really know. Some infielders can easily transfer to the outfield (see the Padres outfield stars Fernando Tatis, Jr. and Jackson Merrill). Others struggle (Jordan Walker of the Cardinals is a recent example).
To give a better answer than mine, I have asked Jules Hughan to write a scouting report on Dezenzo’s prospects in left field. I will post that just after this article goes up.
A Future as a Utility Man
What I can say is that Dezenzo will have to learn to play the outfield. Some of that comes from the fact that the Astros have a whole starting infield under team control for the next three seasons. It is unlikely that Dezenzo can find a starting job there. In order to player, he needs to be versatile.
Further, Dezenzo will need to be a utility player because his talent projects as a utility player. For example, Steamer project Dezenzo to slash 240/.300/.397 this season, good for a 99 wRC+. That’s the projection of a league average hitter, and it is the 11th best projected wRC+ among Astros hitters this season.
Dezenzo is not a strong enough defender that he will make up for a league average bat with a strong glove. In short, he’s an average hitter, and you would rather make above average hitters everyday players.
Of course, utility players can be quite helpful to a team. A ballclub needs players who can play multiple positions to give regulars a day off and fill in when injuries occur. And with the 2025 Astros, there will be a need to find the hot hand to play in left field, where any number of options are available.
Dezenzo thus needs to learn to play left field to get more playing time in addition to maintaining his ability to play at the infield corners. Dezenzo reports that he’s been working on defense at multiple positions—left field, first base, and third base—while working out in his offseason home of Columbus, OH.
Splitting one’s time defensively has a cost. It reduces a player’s ability to master any position to become a top flight defender at one of them. But Dezenzo has to split his time, as the opening available to him in 2025 is in left field. He needs to learn to play there to get playing time this season. He also needs to learn to play the outfield because his future is as a utility man—a man of many positions.