MESA, Ariz. – Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon says he wants top prospect Kris Bryant to play both the outfield and third base if he’s sent to Triple-A Iowa later this week.

“You never know when the need is going to arise,” Maddon said.

Bryant was in left field on Sunday against the Kansas City Royals for the second time this spring, but did not record an out or an assist. He received good reviews after his first game in the outfield last week, when he doubled off a runner at second base after making a catch, and also for backing up third base properly on an overthrow, preventing a run from scoring.

Maddon is known for wanting his players to have the ability to play more than one position. The Cubs need it more now than ever considering they plan to open the season with three catchers who only play that one position. If and when Bryant makes his debut, it could be at third base or the outfield. Some of it undoubtedly depends on the players currently ahead of him on the depth chart.

“How great it would be to see Mike Olt to play for two weeks and see if it’s for real?” Theo Epstein said over the weekend. “Then we have a huge asset to put out in left field.”

Maddon’s philosophy: In terms of players learning new positions, Maddon takes a little bit of an opposite view of things. He thinks it actually benefits the player as a hitter when he’s asked to move around the diamond.

“It makes every hitter a better hitter because if he’s moving around a lot, he just doesn’t worry so much about his hitting,” Maddon said.

In other words, Maddon subscribes to the theory that less thinking when it comes to hitting is better. Taking ground balls and concentrating on defense actually will bring out the best in a hitter, according to the Cubs manager.

“Give a guy a couple different things [to work on],” he said.

That notion contradicts some things the front office has said on the subject. General manager Jed Hoyer intimated before spring training, for example, that Javier Baez would not play much, if any, at third base this spring so he could concentrate on his approach at the plate. Knowing how Maddon feels now, it makes even more sense the manager has been focused – and by extension, Baez as well – on the other parts of the infielder’s game. Maddon is trying to take the pressure off Baez. The results so far have been mixed: Baez has performed exceptionally well in all aspects of baseball besides hitting. Maddon believes that will come just by going out and playing, not thinking, looking at video or worrying about it.

“I’m anti all that stuff,” Maddon said. “I don’t believe in any of that.”

Motte adjustment: Maddon said he’s interested in seeing reliever Jason Motte’s next appearance on the mound. Motte has struggled this spring, giving up 10 runs on 11 hits and five walks over eight appearances. His ERA is 14.21, but Maddon and pitching coach Chris Bosio think they’ve found a mechanical flaw.

“I’m eager to see his next time out because I thought it was pertinent,” Maddon said of the flaw.

Motte signed a one-year free-agent deal for $4.5 million during the offseason after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2013.