Over recent years the Los Angeles Dodgers have stuck to a regular pattern with their top prospects in that they gained experience the September of the season prior to assuming a larger role. That changed in some regard last year with Will Smith, and now Gavin Lux may be next.
Smith was with the Dodgers for a stretch of the final month of the 2018 regular season, however he was never placed on the active roster. The club simply sought to have the young catcher become familiar with a Major League clubhouse and process before and after games.
While Lux has produced a remarkable season during time with Double-A Tulsa and now Triple-A Oklahoma City, it’s not yet a given he will join the Dodgers once active rosters expand. Manager Dave Roberts didn’t rule out the possibility, but he also did not commit to the young shortstop being active.
Instead, Roberts explained, Lux could find himself in a situation where he is “apprenticing” with the Dodgers come September. “To get him around our guys and see what we do up here is very valuable,” Roberts said.
He previously stated the team is unlikely to call up a mass wave of prospects from Oklahoma City this year, because players returning from injury will require at-bats.
Lux enters play Saturday having reached base safely in each of his 33 games with Oklahoma City, which includes collecting at least one hit in 31 of those contests. Including time with the Drillers, Lux has reached in 46 consecutive consecutive games.
Since earning a promotion to Triple-A on June 27, he’s batting a remarkable .450/.530/.829 with 15 doubles, 10 home runs and 31 RBI. Lux was named Pacific Coast League Player of the Month for July.
He became the first Oklahoma City player to earn the monthly honor since it officially has been tracked since 2010.
While Lux has impressed at every level this season, being a shortstop figures to be working against him with respect to a potential MLB debut. The Dodgers have tried the 21-year-old at second base, but his experience playing the position is minimal.
Lux was reportedly sought after by multiple clubs at the July 31 trade deadline, specifically the Pittsburgh Pirate as they engaged with the Dodgers in discussions for All-Star closer Felipe Vazquez. All indications had the Dodgers unwilling to part with Lux or Dustin May in any deal.
