If you visit Binghamton’s NYSEG Stadium this spring you’ll see a fascinating infield experiment underway.  Rather than announce their two top middle infielders as a primary shortstop and second baseman, Binghamton has elected to alternate Wilfredo Tovar and Matt Reynolds on almost a game-by-game basis at the two infield positions.

Although rather unique by traditional baseball standards, the infield arrangement seems to be working well in Binghamton.  Tovar, the B-Met regular shortstop last season and Baseball America’s Best New York Met Defensive Prospect in each of the last four seasons, has thrived defensively at both positions, turning in several dazzling plays with the leather in the early going.  Reynolds, also has a solid fielding glove at both positions.

The daily infield shuffle has had no ill effects on the B-Met infielders offensive production.  After getting out the gate slowly, Reynolds raked during the second week of the season going 12-for-24 at the plate to raise his season average to a team best .383.  Reynolds has scored a team high nine runs and his .442 on-base-percentage is the second best on the squad.

Tovar might be the grittiest number nine batter in baseball and is a guy you like to see stepping to the plate with runners in scoring position.  Tovar, hitting .317, has fanned only one time in 41 at-bats, with a .356 OPS, eight runs batted in, and is tied for second on the team.

With the shortstop position in continual flux in Flushing and some speculation around Daniel Murphy’s long standing status with the Mets at second base, it makes sense to groom two middle infielders from the same team at both middle spots, especially two versatile guys with solid baseball instincts who can easily assimilate the roles and responsibilities of both infield positions.