Kansas University senior Ryne Price went to North Carolina to play summer baseball last year, and tried out a new position: right field.

He liked it.

“It was definitely a nice change after having a pretty rough year at second (base),” Price said.

So nice, it’s now permanent.

Price, a Free State High alumnus, will be in right field when KU plays Hawaii-Hilo in the season opener today. Game time is scheduled for 5 p.m., with doubleheaders scheduled to start at 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Price hit .270 with a team-high 10 home runs and 31 RBIs in 2007. But he struggled mightily in the field, committing 19 errors at second base. After getting comfortable in the outfield last summer, it’s now his home turf. He’ll also back up Buck Afenir at catcher, the position he played at Free State.

“I’m trying to put him in a position where he can focus on catching and playing right field, and not have to worry as much about playing defense in the infield,” KU coach Ritch Price said. “Hopefully it can improve his RBI totals and his run-production numbers. We need him to be an impact player with the bat.”

Ryne’s move sets up a chain reaction that could benefit KU defensively around the diamond. Robby Price, Ryne’s younger brother, moves from third base to second base. Taking over at third base is freshman Tony Thompson, a highly touted slugger out of Reno, Nev.

When Ryne Price moves behind the plate to give Afenir a break, Lawrence High graduate Brian Heere projects to play right field.

“We like the progress he’s making,” Ritch Price said of Heere, a red-shirt freshman. “He’s a left-handed hitter, he can handle the bat, he’s a good runner. He’s going to get significant playing time, I would think.”

Thompson projects to be one of two true freshmen in the lineup, joining designated hitter Jimmy Waters. It’s becoming a trend for young players to break into KU’s batting order early – the Price brothers, Afenir, Erik Morrison, Preston Land and John Allman all were regular starters as freshmen.

“We’re not afraid to play those guys,” Price said. “I’m personally a big believer that if you’re going to be really good at this level, you have to recruit high school players and help them develop. You’ve got to play them early.”

Sophomore southpaw Wally Marciel will start on the mound for Kansas today, but he will be limited to 90 pitches so that he can be ready to throw Wednesday at Arkansas.

Kansas will play nine games over the next 10 days, all on the road. After the five games in Hawaii, the Jayhawks will play at Arkansas before going to Nashville, Tenn., to play Vanderbilt, Xavier and Iowa next weekend.

The home opener is March 5 against LeMoyne at Hoglund Ballpark.