Jeimer Candelario has reported to his winter ball team in the Dominican Republic, where it appears he’ll be back at his usual position of third base when he gets into game action this week. That would suggest he’ll be back at the hot corner in Detroit next season when he looks to follow up on his breakout 2020 campaign.

Candelario told reporters in a video conference last month that he planned to begin winter ball in early December, returning to Toros del Este. He wasn’t sure whether he would take his longtime spot at third base or move over to first, where he played much of this past summer in Detroit following C.J. Cron’s season-ending knee injury.

“If the Tigers tell me I’m going to play third base, I will play third base over there in the Dominican,” Candelario said last month. “If the Tigers tell me that I’m going to play first base, I’m going to play first base in the Dominican.”

The early indications are that he will play third base. Toros del Este have listed him as a third baseman; the team also tweeted a video of him taking ground balls at third.

Even if the Tigers haven’t yet finalized Candelario’s position for 2021, having him play this winter at third makes more sense, because it keeps their options open. It’s easier for him to work out at third and later shift to first than the other way around. It should also be simpler for the Tigers to find a productive first baseman on the free-agent market than a third baseman, especially if National League teams proceed this winter as if they won’t have a DH slot available next season.

The free-agent market at first base includes Cron, who played 13 games for the Tigers this year before his injury. He’s expected to be healthy in time for Spring Training, though that doesn’t mean he’ll be back with the Tigers. Other free-agent first basemen include Matt Adams, Mitch Moreland, Logan Morrison, Daniel Murphy, Danny Santana, Justin Smoak, Eric Thames and Ryan Zimmermann. Free-agent third basemen include Todd Frazier, Marwin Gonzalez, Jake Lamb, Travis Shaw and Justin Turner.

While there’s more depth on the market at first base, one familiar name dropped off the list Tuesday, when the Royals signed former Cleveland slugger Carlos Santana to a two-year, $17.5 million contract. The 34-year-old Santana’s .366 career on-base percentage, helped largely by his ability to work counts and draw walks, would’ve fit well in Detroit, but the Tigers are looking for a one-year signing rather than a multi-year commitment. Santana will be 36 years old for most of the 2022 season, and the Tigers have current DH Miguel Cabrera under contract through at least 2023.

Whoever the Tigers sign, and wherever they put Candelario next spring, the switch-hitter is expected to be a key part of their lineup. He hit .297 (55-for-185) with 11 doubles, three triples, seven home runs, 29 RBIs and a career-best .872 OPS this past season. His 1.6 Wins Above Replacement according to Baseball-Reference was easily the best on the team, and ranked among the American League’s top 10 for much of the season before he faded late while dealing with back issues.

“The Candelario breakthrough, I want to kind of figure out how and why and what happened and continue to build off that,” new manager A.J. Hinch said in a video conference with beat writers last month.

Candelario isn’t the only Tigers third baseman making news in winter ball. Isaac Paredes continues to tear up the Mexican Pacific League, batting .356 (26-for-73) with eight doubles, two homers, 17 RBIs, a .985 OPS and a 12-to-8 walk-to-strikeout ratio in 21 games for Mazatlan. Fellow Tigers rookie infielder Sergio Alcantara is 9-for-21 with a double and an RBI for Licey in the Dominican Republic.