Miguel Vargas is among the Los Angeles Dodgers prospects expected to take on a larger role this year after an offseason that saw several veterans sign elsewhere in free agency.
Vargas is likely to receive most of his playing time at second base despite being a natural third baseman. While up with the Dodgers last season, he primarily appeared off the bench and played left field.
To prepare for his opportunity, Vargas worked out with the likes of J.D. Martinez and Miguel Rojas during the offseason. He regularly drew praise for his work ethic and dedication to learning a new position.
Unfortunately for Vargas, he suffered a bit of a setback this week after sustaining a hairline fracture in the pinky of his right hand.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts noted pain will dictate workload moving forward, and Vargas believes he’ll be prepared for the first game of Spring Training on Saturday, per Jack Harris of the L.A. Times:
While Roberts said pain tolerance will dictate how long it takes Vargas to return to full activities, Vargas said he was confident he’d be back by the time Cactus League games start Saturday.
Vargas’ fractured pinky fortunately has not prevented him from continuing to participate in defensive drills. He also played in an intrasquad game Thursday morning but did not swing a bat.
The 23-year-old has put all of his focus into the Dodgers this spring as he declined the opportunity to play for Team Cuba in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Vargas is coming off a year in which he batted .304/.402/.511 with 17 home runs, 82 RBI, 99 runs scored and 16 stolen bases in 112 games with Triple-A Oklahoma City.
He had a few highlights with the Dodgers and was included on their postseason roster against the San Diego Padres in their National League Division Series.
Miguel Vargas preparing for any role with Dodgers in 2023
While it has not been explicitly relayed to Vargas, he is preparing to take on any role with the Dodgers this year. That could mean receiving occasional starts at first base, third base, left field and designated hitter in addition to second base.
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