In their first Major League Baseball Draft under new team president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, general manager Farhan Zaidi and scouting director Billy Gasparino, the Los Angeles Dodgers focused early on pitching.
Heading into the 2016 MLB Draft, Gasparino said the club would target the best available talent. Holding three selections within the first 36 picks, and four in the top 65, the Dodgers drafted high school shortstop Gavin Lux with their first pick at No. 20 overall.
Lux is the first position player the Dodgers drafted with their top pick since taking Corey Seager No. 18 in the 2012 Draft. The shortstops represent the only two times in the past 14 years where Los Angeles took a position player with their first selection.
“He has a lot of athleticism, has really good hands and has enough arm strength to stay at shortstop,” Gasparino said of Lux.
“He is a very good baseball player, and we really think he has a good chance to be a really good hitter at the Major League level. He has a great mix of talent and skill, and has a very high character.”
Lux, listed at 6’2 and 175 lbs., hit .531 (43-for-81) with 10 doubles, four triples, six home runs, 31 RBIs and had 23 stolen bases this spring. He was named the Gatorade State player of the year for Wisconsin and rated the fourth-best shortstop available in the 2016 Draft by Baseball.
Lux is committed to play at Arizona State University, but openly stated his desire to sign with the Dodgers and begin his professional career. With their second selection in the first round (No. 32nd overall, compensation pick for Zack Greinke signing with Arizona Diamondbacks), the Dodgers drafted University of Louisville catcher Will Smith.
He’s the first catcher Los Angeles drafted in the first round since since Paul Konerko (1994). Konekro of course burst onto the scene in the Majors as a first baseman. As a junior this season, Smith hit .380/.476/.573 (57-for-150) with eight doubles, seven home runs and 43 RBIs in 53 games.
He was named third-team All-ACC, while leading the Cardinals to the 2016 NCAA Super Regional, where they face UC Santa Barbara on Saturday. “After converting from shortstop to catcher when joining Louisville, it took him a while to sync in at that position in the college level,” Gasparino said.
“But we think he is a great athlete with a plus arm, and he can really receive and throw the ball well. He has always had a short compact swing with good bat speed and controls the zone very well. He is a great leader on the field, and his intangibles are off the chart.”
CONTINUE READING: Gasparino’s comments on Jordan Sheffield and Mitchell White
The Dodgers got around to taking a pitcher with their third selection in the 2016 MLB Draft, taking Vanderbilt right-hander Jordan Sheffield No. 36 overall. The pick was compensation for failing to sign Louisville pitcher Kyle Funkhouser (No. 35 pick in 2015 Draft).
Sheffield is the third Vanderbilt pitcher drafted by the Dodgers in the last two years — joining Walker Buehler (No. 24, first round) and Phil Pfeiffer (No. 101, third round). Sheffield went 8-6 with a 3.01 ERA in 16 starts this season.
“He is very athletic, maybe one of the better athletes in the draft at any position. and he is up to 96 and has big arm strength,” Gasparino said of the redshirt sophomore.
“He is a highly competitive kid, and he knows the game and understands professional baseball really well. His changeup has really developed this year into a plus pitch, and the breaking ball has always been a calling card for him.”
The Dodgers’ first day of the 2016 Draft concluded with the selection of Santa Clara University right-hander Mitchell White in the second round, No. 65 overall. White, also a redshirt sophomore, went 3-6 with a 3.72 ERA in 15 starts.
He led the Broncos in starts (15), innings pitched (92.0), strikeouts (118) and strikeouts per nine innings (11.54) this season. “He was a second half performer this year and went up to 95 late in the year, collecting multiple high strikeout games,” Gasparino said.
“He has a plus slider, he is big, he is physical, and we really feel like he is trending up into being a mid-rotation starter.”