So much for the assumed natural progression.

Robby Price, who played shortstop on Free State High’s Class 6A state championship team last spring, won’t be succeeding older brother Ritchie as Kansas University’s shortstop.

Instead, KU coach Ritch Price has tapped Erik Morrison, his third baseman the last two years, to fill the shoes of his oldest son.

“I think he’ll be better at shortstop,” Price said of Morrison, who made a glaring 24 errors at the hot corner last season. “Third base is a reactionary position, and he had trouble with balls hit right at him.”

Morrison, a junior from Arroyo Grande, Calif., played shortstop in high school, but shifted to third when he came to KU out of deference to Ritchie Price, who held the position for four years and set four KU career records.

“I’m comfortable again,” a smiling Morrison said Friday. “At third I tended to sit back on my heels like a shortstop does. Now I’ll have a little more time.”

And what about Robby Price?

The KU coach’s youngest son is ticketed to replace Morrison at third base, a position he never played in high school. Robby did, however, play third last summer for Duluth, Minn., in the Northwoods League, a wood-bat league for collegians.

“Robby did really well up there,” Ritch Price said. “He made the all-star team. I’m pleased with his development. He has big shoes to fill, but he has prepared for this all his life.”

Robby Price will likely be the Jayhawks’ only freshman starter, but he won’t be the lone Price on the infield. Ryne Price, the coach’s middle son, returns at second base.

So instead of transitioning from turning double plays with his older brother to doing the same thing with his younger brother, Ryne Price will now form the keystone combination with Morrison.

“You kind of knew it was going to happen,” Ryne said of Robby’s shift to third. “But he looks good over there.”

In the meantime, Morrison is as tickled to be surrounded by the Price brothers as he is to be back at shortstop.

“It feels good to be sandwiched between those two guys,” Morrison said. “I’ve played with them for many months. They’re like my brothers.”

Morrison spent a couple of summers as a teammate of the two Prices on the Firestone Rangers, a powerful youth baseball team in California.

“I remember when I was 16 years old and I felt really little,” Morrison recalled about his days with the Rangers. “Robby was 14 then, but he fit right in. He had no problems handling himself.”

Kansas will open the season Thursday with its annual February visit to Hawaii.