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When the Arizona Diamondbacks acquired shortstop Didi Gregorius this past week, they made a commitment to him being their shortstop of the future. While there weren't any prospects in Arizona's farm system that were knocking on the door for the 2013 season, Chris Owings could've potentially been a fit down the road.
Owings, 21, split time between Rookie, High-A and Double-A ball this past season and hit well, batting .290 with a .775 OPS. While he appears to have the tools to stick in Major League Baseball one day, MLB.com's Steve Gilbert believes the club could elect to change his position next year.
For those who asked about #Dbacks Chris Owings, always possible he slides to second if Gregorius succeeds at short.
— Steve Gilbert (@SteveGilbertMLB) December 12, 2012
The likely thought process behind this move is that current second baseman Aaron Hill is set to become a free agent next winter. If Owings looks like he's ready to take the next step in his career this time next season, he could potentially replace Hill on the infield, which would free up money for general manager Kevin Towers to spend elsewhere.
Look for Owings to begin the season at Double-A, with a possible promotion to Triple-A being possible during the summer months.