SAN FRANCISCO – The Dodgers have a new third baseman at Double-A Tulsa – Corey Seager.

The blue-chip prospect moved to his right from shortstop twice in the first dozen games of the minor-league season. According to Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, Seager will continue to play third base “roughly once a week” for the foreseeable future. The plan is to give Seager another path to the big leagues if something were to happen to the Dodgers infield.

“The idea is at some point, whether it’s this year or next year, to the extent that we have an injury and he’s our best option if he’s only played shortstop, that obviously limits him to an injury happening at that one position,” Friedman said. “Giving him reps at another position only helps him and helps us.”

Because of his size (Seager is listed at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds), there has been speculation that Seager will outgrow shortstop and have to make the move to third base. Friedman was pretty definitive in saying last fall that he did not see that as a given.

“I’m convinced that I would not move him off shortstop right now,” Friedman said shortly after taking over the Dodgers’ front office last fall. “We will let that play out as long as we can.”

Friedman said the new plan at Tulsa has not changed that.

“I still feel that way,” he said.

Friedman wouldn’t say if Seager would be considered an option to jump to the major leagues this year but the experience at third base will “not cut off that possibility.”

After hitting .345 in 38 games at Double-A in the second half of last season, Seager, who will turn 21 next week, was sent back to Double-A to start this season. He picked up where he left off, going 22 for his first 50 with seven extra-base hits. Seager won the Texas League Player of the Week award for his hot start and a move to Triple-A could be in his future.

“I wouldn’t anticipate (Seager will stay in Double-A) all season. I don’t know exactly how long,” Friedman said. “We’ll get together at the end of the month and talk about all of our guys and get a sense for where the next best step is. But I wouldn’t anticipate all year.”

OLIVERA UPDATE

Another piece of the Dodgers’ future infield, Cuban infielder Hector Olivera, has been working out at the Dodgers’ Campo Las Palmas facility in the Dominican Republic on a regular basis, but he has not yet received his visa to travel to the United States. An interview with authorities at the U.S. Embassy there could happen within the next couple weeks. The Dodgers are waiting until Olivera can travel to the United States before having their own doctors conduct a physical. Right-hander Pablo Fernandez is also working out at the Dominican academy.

“We are still working, going through the visa process to get the guys over to do a physical and see where we go from there,” Friedman said.

Both Olivera (six years, $62.5 million) and Fernandez (an $8 million signing bonus) have agreed to terms on contracts with the Dodgers. Another hot prospect from Cuba, 19-year-old pitcher Yadier Alvarez, is also on the Dodgers’ radar and could sign with them once he is cleared by MLB.

NO PROTEST

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said the team did not file a protest regarding the ninth-inning play in Wednesday’s game during which Giants third-base coach Roberto Kelly made contact with a baserunner rounding third base.

“I don’t think you can protest an umpire’s judgment,” Mattingly said. “That’s one of those broad strokes that protects a lot of stuff.”

Contact the writer: bplunkett@ocregister.com