FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Trevor Plouffe played most of his minor league games at shortstop. There were stints at first base, second base and in the outfield, too.

Last season, he finally settled in at third base with the Minnesota Twins. His learning process was on the fly. But his opportunity to stay focused on one position and establish himself as a reliable regular in the majors will hinge largely on how well he plays this year.

With 24 home runs in 422 at-bats in 2012, Plouffe’s power was a welcome surprise for the Twins. But he batted just .235 while fighting a thumb injury during the second half of the season and has a lot to prove at the plate — as well as in the field.

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