The “super sub.” Players who are talented enough to start but versatile enough to and mentally capable of taking their starts all over the field. The role has become more and more prominent as teams begin to see the benefit of having deployable players.
Ben Zobrist of the Chicago Cubs is the most prominent example of this role, making starts at every position except for catcher and pitcher during his career. Despite not really having a player fill that role at the moment, it could be argued that Joe McEwing of the New York Mets was the first of this new wave of players.