utility player
1
4.9
- noun
- /juˈtɪləti ˈpleɪər/
- Jargon
:
jugador versátil
- As a reliable utility player, Max can fill in at any position when needed during the game.
- utility player who plays
- the best utility players
Examples
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Just because he starts for the Mets doesn't mean he's not a utility player.
Blog text (27) -
Even if he doesn't improve his strike zone judgment much, his power and his arm could make him a valuable utility player.
Blog text (14) -
This time, Infante is a starter, whereas in '06 he was a utility player.
Blog text (20) -
The utility player has only a .140 average in the ABL in 43 at-bats.
Blog text (14) -
Or, it would be good if he were a middle infielder, less so if he is an outfielder, and confusing if he ends up as he has been treated by the A's defensively: a utility player who can play poorly all over the field.
Blog text (14) -
Sorry Greg, but Tejada is as much a utility player as Rey Ordonez, Bud Harrelson, and Rafael Santana were, and guess what?
Blog text (27) -
Look, I'm not trying to insult Tejada; a .280 hitter with above-average defense certainly has value, but comparing him with other shortstops around the league shows he's a utility player.
Blog text (27) -
I also wonder if Lombardozzi could learn 1B, not to give him that job full-time (1B should be a power hitter) but to complete his qualifications as a utility player and late-inning defensive replacement.
Blog text (33) -
The coach appreciated having a utility player like Sarah, who could adapt and perform well in several roles.
-
During the season, he established himself as a key utility player, contributing effectively in both the infield and outfield.
Synonyms
2
7.7
A player who can play two different positions in baseball or basketball
1
6.1
A player who can play several positions in baseball
A female baseball player who can play several positions
How Versatile
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly derivable from combining 'utility' (usefulness, versatility) with 'player' (a person taking part or performing a role): a person who is useful across different roles. This adj+noun composition follows regular English patterns and has clear cross-linguistic analogues (e.g. 'jugador polivalente', 'polyvalent player'), so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words will very likely infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
Utility player comes from the idea of the word utility meaning a useful tool. Imagine a baseball player who can move from infield to outfield and fill gaps when the team needs them, and that's why it means 'a player who can play several positions'.