Since the 2016 First-Year player Draft, Dodger fans have been questioning the first selection made by Andrew Friedman and friends. That selection was none other than shortstop Gavin Lux who is currently pushing for a spot on the Dodgers postseason roster. When we questioned the pick we, of course, did not have the inside information that Director of Amateur Scouting Billy Gasparino and his team had. Yet, it seemed to be a pick that did not add up to us.
One reason that it did not seem to be the best possible option was that another shortstop, Bo Bichette, was available at the time that Lux was selected with the 20th overall pick. The plot thickens when we look back and observe that Bichette was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays with the 66th pick. It thickens because Will Smith (32), Jordan Sheffield (36) and Mitchell White (65) were also selected by the Dodgers before Bichette came off the board. So, it wasn’t a Lux or Bichette only option. It was a Lux, or Smith, or Sheffield, or White option.
Dodger fans were not the only ones questioning the Gavin Lux first-round selection.
“Internally and externally, there always seemed to be a little bit of doubt when you talked to people about it,” Dodgers scouting director Billy Gasparino said. “We (the scouting department) never felt it, but I know it existed.”
Both shortstops started the 2016 season in rookie ball with the 6’0”/185-pound Bichette in the Gulf Coast League and the 6’2’-190-pound Lux in the Arizona League. Lux is three and one-half months older than Bichette. After that Bichette seemed to move more quickly through the Blue Jay system and arrived in Toronto on July 7 in the current campaign. He went on a bit of a tear highlighting a missed opportunity by 29 other MLB teams.
Going back a bit, Gavin Lux, who bats left and throws right, had an acceptable 2016 season with the AZL Dodgers and Ogden Raptors. He followed that with a very disappointing 2017 campaign with the Great Lakes Loons, especially when compared to Bichette who was also in the Midwest League with the Lansing Lugnuts.
Something happened during the 2018 season as Gavin Lux seemed to take flight. Between the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (88 games) and Tulsa Drillers (28 games), he posted a triple slash of .324/.399/.514 with a .904 OPS along with 15 home runs and 57 RBI. He struck out 88 times and had 57 walks. Meanwhile with the AA New Hampshire Fisher Cats 131 games) Bichette’s slash line was .286/.343/.453 with an OPS of .796 along with 11 home runs and 74 RBI. He struck out 101 times and had 48 walks.
So what happened that the young shortstop began to blossom during the 2017 season? Gavin Lux happened. What the Dodgers saw in his athleticism and determination vaulted him to the front of the line. That is, to number one in the Dodgers top 30. What Dodger scout Trey Magnuson initially saw in the Kenosha Wisconsin native simply took root.
Baseball America reported that Lux was aware of the questions surrounding him but simply shut out the chatter and went to work. When he was drafted he was a skinny kid at about 165 pounds. He added 10 pounds of muscle heading into 2018 and another 15 as he prepared for this season. He spent hundreds of hours deprogramming his natural swing and replacing it with a modified version that put him on a better plane with the ball.
His fielding work began in the wee hours of the winter mornings at the Dodgers’ complex in Glendale, Ariz., and stretched long into the afternoons. The same resilience Magnuson saw in Lux as an amateur grew in professional ball, in the form of a relentless work ethic to ensure he would never struggle again as he had in his first two years of pro ball.
In 113 games at Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City in 2019, Lux hit .347 to rank fourth in the minors, while his .421 on-base percentage ranked 10th and his .607 slugging percentage placed sixth. In terms of OPS, he ranked fourth (1.028) overall, behind only Kevin Cron, Jared Walsh and Mark Payton, a trio of older, bat-first players at Triple-A.
Bichette went to Toronto after some time on the IL in 2019 and 56 games at AAA Buffalo. I expect a comparison at AAA is not apt as Bichette has hit well in 38 games with the Blue Jays. However, below are their AAA stats for 2019.
Bichette 56 games, 35 runs 8 HR, 32 RBI, .275/.333/.473, 806 OPS
Lux 49 games, 54 runs, 13 HR, 39 RBI, .392/.478/.719, 1.197 OPS
Lux is getting his first taste of MLB so we will have to wait and see how the rest of the season plays out for him.
In the meantime, he has been selected as the 2019 Baseball America Minor League Baseball Player Of The Year. The last two winners of the recognition were Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Blue Jays) in 2018 and Ronald Acuna (Braves) in 2017. Ever confident, Lux has been a bit surprised by his rapid ascent up the baseball ladder.
“Obviously I feel like I always believed in myself, but I don’t think I would have expected two years ago to play like how I am now, I guess you could say,” Lux said in the Baseball America piece by Kyle Glaser. “It is a little surreal. I’m just enjoying it and having fun every step of the way and taking advantage of it.”
This season, Texas League managers have voted Lux as the league’s best batting prospect, best defensive shortstop and most exciting player.
What do others on the scene say about Gavin Lux?
“He was doing things not only our guys here were talking about,” Oklahoma City manager Travis Barbary said, “ but you see the reaction in the other dugout and they’re like, ‘Man, this guy is unbelievable.”
“You talked to everybody around—the coaches, the principal, everyone in the office—everybody was glowing about Gavin and who he was as a person as well as a player,” Dodger scout Trey Magnuson said.
But what about the guy who ultimately has the final say with Dodger rosters and players? That would be Andrew Friedman, President, Baseball Operations. I don’t think I have heard Friedman lavish as much praise on any other player, certainly not one yet a full-fledged MLB player. It is a testament to his determination, confidence and work ethic that has drawn such praise.
“Each year in spring training we lay out some goals (for our players) for the year,” Andrew Friedman said.“It’s great in theory. It rarely plays out in practice. But it truly did with Gavin. Every time we gave him goals and things to work on, he poured himself into it and has steadily gotten better at all aspects of his game.”
Friedman does not talk about Lux’s baseball IQ, or at least use that term, but his comments reveal a feel for the game that Lux possesses that is far from typical for 21-year-old players.
“His approach in the box is the most mature I’ve ever been around in someone this age,” Friedman recently told the Los Angeles Times. “Just his awareness of what pitchers are trying to do, taking feedback from an at-bat or pitch-to-pitch, how to apply it to what his plan of attack is—it’s something I’ve seen a lot of major league players struggle with throughout their careers. It’s very rare to be able to see someone his age to be able to slow down the game and understand that cat and mouse game between the hitter and the pitcher in such an advanced way.”
As Mark would say, “We are in for some kinda’ ride!”, with Gavin Lux.
Just to be clear, I mean no disrespect to Bo Bichette. I have watched him play some with the Jays and he is an exciting young player. He plays with a flair both at bat and in the field. I surely would like for him to be a Dodger and I agree with AC that at this point he is a notch above Gavin.
After reading about Gavin and how he has willed himself to get better I expect he will continue to do so at the MLB level. I don’t know if he will be immediately impactful as Bo is but I do know he will become impactful and in due course we will be as confident in the draft choice as Billy Gasparino is.
“The external or internal doubts just makes this a little more satisfactory,” Gasparino said. “But more just for his own sake, you kind of love the kid. How hard he’s worked and how genuine of a person he is, it’s made it extremely satisfying to see this happen to him.”
Lux is well grounded. The mental part of the game has always been one of his strengths. His uncle Augie Schmidt was the Golden Spikes Award winner and No. 2 overall pick in 1982. Schmidt is now in his 33rd season as the head coach at Division III Carthage College in Lux’s hometown of Kenosha, Wis., about 40 miles south of Milwaukee.
“A lot of what we (his uncle Augie) talk about is how to deal with failure,” Lux said. “He’s kind of been my rock and who I go to when it comes to baseball. He’s kind of gone through it all, so he’s been everything to me.”
Augie was in attendance when Gavin lined the first MLB pitch he saw for a hit. His uncle shed tears of happiness as Gavin stood on first base.
The Drillers tied their series at 1-1 with Amarillo. After going down 8-3 in the first inning they came away with an 18-9 win. At the end of the night, the Drillers had hit a total of 9 home runs – Downs (3), Casey (2), Parmalee, Rincon, Thomas, Estevez.
Downs had a record-setting night of his own, matching the Drillers single-game record with three homers. It marked the first time that a Tulsa player (Drillers or Oilers) has ever hit three home runs in a playoff game. Downs has hit a total of eight home runs in Double-A this season and all eight have come against Amarillo. He becomes the second Drillers player to hit three homers in a game this season, joining Cody Thomas who did it on April 17 against Springfield.
Downs, Wong and Casey each had four-hit games. Tulsa had players get four hits in a game only seven times all season long.
Downs scored a Drillers season-high five runs in the game.
Wong and Casey have each hit in all seven games of the postseason. During those seven games, Wong is 9-27 (.333) with two homers and nine RBI, while Casey is 10-28 (.357) with three homers and six RBI.
The Raptors still don’t know who they will face in the Pioneer Championship round after two rain outs with Billings and Idaho falls.
Well, I thought that Lux was a bad pick at the time and after 2017, I especially thought that. Gasparino knew what he was doing, however. Hopefully, Jeren Kendall can turn it around as well.
Bo Bichette has the same rap as Alex Verdugo did; A Bad Attitude. Verdugo moved past it and Bo will need to do that too.. BP had an article where they wrote this about him:
Some were concerned with Bo’s attitude, referring to him as a brat, or a prima donna, among other things.
I still have memories of Bichette burned into my head, memories that are difficult to ignore when viewing him in the present. I know he has all of the tools and ability in the world, I have seen him make all the plays, and that might be distracting me from some of his faults and errors.
Gavin Lux has none of that baggage – maybe Bichette has a higher ceiling than Lux, but I am now a Gavin Lux fan.
Spring Training 2017, I briefly watched Lux in minor league camp and wondered why in the world the Dodgers drafted him. Physically he looked soft, and he did not resemble the Baseball America (BA) scouting report of a “quick-twitch athlete.” One year later, I could hardly believe it was the same player — he was in terrific physical shape, and he moved like the athlete described by BA.
I really hope Jeren makes that turn. He’s been the nicest guy in the CA League the past two years. Seemed competently lost until the last month of the season when he just started mashing. I sure hope he can keep that up. He still looks hopeless on some breaking balls.
What a nice article on Gavin Lux, DC. I am not that knowledgeable about all the minor league players, so did not know all the information and stats on Bo Bichette, but he also sounds like a star-in-the-making. I will repeat my comment after the game last night. I watched Gavin sing the words to “God Bless America”. It told me a lot about his character.
DBM – Gavin is just a fine young man. He has had some wonderful parenting and it stuck. What a bonus for a MLB team when character is so important.
I have always been a Gavin Lux fan but I am a fan of every Dodger minor leaguer and some with other teams so I can take no credit for seeing what would happen with him. He will still have some growing pains but is equipped to deal with them constructively.
I hope that Bo outgrows what might be seen as character flaws. I expect he will as this game has a tendency to humble even the greatest stars at times. In the last 15 days he is hitting .215 with a .241 OBP with 14 strikeouts and 2 walks.
I’m guessing the extensive background checks the Dodgers do when making a high pick had something to do with drafting him. I remember reading a scouting report that referred to his baseball IQ, his work ethic etc. As is often the case, the Dodgers got it right. What really surprised me is not landing Guerrero Jr. Maybe they didn’t pursue him. But with all the money they were tossing around on the international market, it seemed like a natural fit. Pretty much every scouting report had him as a big time hitting prospect. So far, the money they spent hasn’t paid off. They lost Vlad Sr. back in the day over $500. But, hey they signed Wilton.
Blue Jays took two players before Bichette; RH pitcher Timothy Zeuch, and outfielder J.B. Woodman. Neither player has wowed anyone with their respective minor league careers (Woodman has yet to advance above HiA ball where he hit .246 in 2019. Interesting trivia; both Lux and Bichette were committed to play college ball at Arizona State.
Very nice DC.
Is Bo the son of Dante?
Yes
Lux has the look and feel of a cornerstone piece for the Dodgers! A franchise face along with Seager, Belly, Buehler. Future looks very bright.
Spot on!
Don’t know whether Lux will be on the PS roster, he hasn’t exactly torn it up in his debut. I think eventually he’ll be an above average MLB player. Not every player takes the league by storm right off the bat. So still hoping the Dodgers get on a nice winning streak leading up to the PS. GO DODGERS
Nice read DC! Happy to have you out from under the wind storm! Glad you came out relatively unscathed.
I have always been a Gavin Lux fan. I remember watching him being interviewed by Alanna Rizzo at the Dodger’s Fan Fest a couple of years back. I was struck by how articulate. He came across as a very well grounded young man who was willing to put in the work to become the best that he could be. Like SoCalBum, I have been surprised by his physical transformation. In the same interview with Rizzo, they should some film clips of Lux working out. He was ripped! It appears that he might have the same muscular genes as his father, who also appears to be in very good shape. He also has good baseball genes as his uncle, Augie Schmidt played in the minor leagues for the Blue Jays, Giants and Twins. Schmidt is now the head baseball coach at Carthage College. Schmidt’s father had been the head coach there from 1962 through 1980. Baseball seems to run in their family.
At the time I believe AC and Mark considered Lux a wasted pick. Maybe then it seemed that way. I think this gives a hint as to the effort the organization puts into identifying character traits – and I’m sure they have a data-centric system for this, too. This is sometimes more important than skill because it gives an indication to the ability to take instruction, learn and adapt. In his first year he underwhelmed. He transformed himself physically and totally remade his swing. At first it was a failure, but he methodically stuck with it and bought in and eventually the instruction and repetition took hold. He’a a completely different player than he was when he was drafted.
Maybe it’s not too late for Joc, but he stands in stark relief to what Lux has done. His attempts to remake his swing every year have been awkward, short lived and disorganized and disregarded.
I’d prefer a Lux over a Bichette. I don’t care if Bichette has a higher ceiling. Lux’s work ethic and baseball understanding suggest a longer, more consistent career and better success under pressure.
Actually, Lux could also be a bust. Just don’t know
I have been extremely impressed by what I’ve seen of Gavin Lux (both MILB and MLB) this year, and was impressed by what I saw of Bo Bichette. My guess is that they both have very bright futures in front of them, and I wish we had both. At this early stage I am not going to rate one above the other, and will simply let time do its thing over the long run.
Is Lux post-season ready? Who knows? Seager wasn’t in 2015, but neither were the Dodgers as a team that year. I’m not even sure what the Dodgers as a team will do in this upcoming post-season. It feels more comfortable when the team is playing well going into the post-season than it does when they’re not. However, in 2015 the Dodgers entered the NLDS having won their last 4 games of the regular season before being swept by the Mets (living in NY, I hate to say that). The 2017 Dodgers had an 11 game losing streak at the beginning of September, and still managed to advance to game 7 of the WS, and were one Kenley Jansen hanging slider away from taking a 2-0 WS lead and a possible World Championship that would likely not have required a game 7.
No matter how the Dodgers are playing now, everything will matter with how they’re playing when they get to the post-season. Since I’m not clairvoyant, I just HOPE that the Dodgers will be hitting on all cylinders when crunch time arrives.
The
hey, give us some credit. That series went to a 5th game; we were not swept!
Congrats to Kenley for representing the Dodgers for the Roberto Clemente award. Like so many of his Dodger teammates they are even bigger stars off the field than on it! It’s easy to root for such a great group of young men!
Dodgerpatch,
You may not be wrong about Joc. After all, Jose Bautista turned around his career at age 29. And although I would trade Joc for the right return, I am not unmindful that he still possesses a great deal of upside potential. Human beings are not all alike, and late bloomers do exist.
Actually it might work out perfectly. If the Dodgers don’t trade him – and I don’t think his trade value is really that high anyway – they resign him at his current market value and THEN he becomes Bautista….or JD Martinez.
..just checked. His a FA in 2021. His WAR the last couple of seasons is 2.8. I think what he will ask will be too much for AF.
It’s not like JOC has been a bust. He is very streaky and it can be frustrating at times but he had a good year last year OPS over .850 and an even better year this year. OPS about .875 with 32 hr’s and he plays a pretty good corner outfield. Those kind of players don’t grow on trees! And he has been a post season baller! I love JOC!
not a bust, but I think he’s underachieved in the bigs after mashing at every level of MiLB. …and he has flaws. Hope he comes up big this post season.
Pleasantly surprised how well he has played RF when Verdugo went on the IL. Kudos to Joc.
I missed out yesterday commenting on the Dodgers clinching the West. Busy being retired. Congrats to the Dodgers. It really has been a fun summer watching this team, The 12 walk-offs, the youngsters coming up and playing well. Bellinger’s first half. Ryu’s first half. Watching Buehler become a dude. The chemistry. Lots of things too like and enjoy. I personally have gone away from, for the most part, trying to pick stuff apart with analysis and criticism, second guessing player decisions, pitching and the different line up everyday, and assume Doc and AF know what they are doing. I really don’t like the “spring training” feel, try out (auditions) model that continues to go on this late in the season. I really have tried to just watched and be emotionless to these things that used to raise my blood pressure, I’m going to just enjoy the ride the rest of the way and see how it all plays out. Whenever I want to be critical I just remember that I could be sent to “baseball hell” and be forced to watch the Orioles or Tigers for a week straight.
Some other thoughts:
* wow do some people have to have an opinion on everything? There were opinions on how the Dodgers celebrated like there’s a right and wrong way to celebrate after clinching? Grab a glass of wine, a good book and don’t watch.
* Ryu’s next start is huge for him and the Dodgers. He has maybe 3 more starts and if he struggles to the wire and can’t be trusted with a start, he is dead weight. I don’t see him in the bullpen, pitching poorly, in competition with 15 other relief pitchers for a spot. No help there. He really needs to right the ship.
* I’m confident JT will be good to go for post season. If not my vote is CT3, former everyday shortstop. He fills the bill defensively and nobody else has to move around. Just my opinion.
* the bullpen continues to be very interesting for post season. 2 guys I would have thought a few weeks ago to have no shot on the PS roster, Kolarek and Garcia are getting tons of appearances in the last 22 games. Garcia has 12 appearances and Kolarek 11. I think Kolarek has a big role and he’s been good. Fergy ( a lock I think) has 11 and Kelly, only has 5 appearances (underworked and maybe ailing?) I can’t decide if these are auditions or not.
* the Dodgers and Doc have had the ability to rest guys all season, especially the 2nd half, and don’t need to take extended days off to regroup after a tough pennant race. More rest is not necessarily a benefit now. Let’s get to work, get in a rhythm, and try to win home field down the stretch. Like Bellinger/Buehler, I think it is very important and it’s well within reach. Starting tonight.
Again congrats on 7 straight.
philjones
You said
“I really don’t like the “spring training” feel, try out (auditions) model that continues to go on this late in the season. More rest is not necessarily a benefit now. Let’s get to work, get in a rhythm, and try to win home field down the stretch.”
I agree 100%. Dave Roberts has had all season long to evaluate most of the players on the team. I think the position players on the playoff roster is a no brainer. As for the pitching I think the same thing with maybe 1 spot left to be determined and 1 spot is not going to make or break the post season. Lets get home field advantage and stop “taking a look at guys”.
Yankees won the 1st game of their double header and are winning late in the 2nd game, so it looks like the best case scenario will be that the Dodgers will have to make up 3 games on the Yankees after today with only 14 games left. That’s going to be extremely tough.
Dave Roberts has thrown some games away during this so called audition that will probably cost the Dodgers home field in the world series.
Of course we’ll see what the Astros do today, right now gotta make up 2 game on them. Yankees might not make the world series. Astros might be the ones to get there instead.
When your two best players all year are struggling right now it’s a bit nerve wracking. If Belly and Ryu don’t right the ship in these last few weeks it’s hard to see us winning a ring this year
There’s 15 games left. We’re on pace for 103.5 wins. That’s a pretty good year.
If we win 103.5 games, and don’t get home field in the World Series? Then wow! That’s not our bad. 103.5 wins is an amazing year and if some team, or even 2 teams tops 103.5 wins? Well then more power to them; that’s impressive!
But I’ll take my 103.5 wins any day and see how it plays out.
Having said that, we need our guys in the MVP and Cy Young race to wake up and have a nice last 2 weeks and be ready for 3 weeks from today, when the NLDS opens at home.
DODGERS ACTIVATE LHP RICH HILL
RHP JAIME SHULTZ DESIGNATED FOR ASSIGNMENT
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers announced that they have activated left-handed pitcher Rich Hill from the 60-day injured list. In order to make room on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers designated right-hander pitcher Jaime Schultz for assignment.
Hill, 39, has been sidelined since June 20 with a left forearm strain and will make his first start tonight against the Baltimore Orioles at Orioles Park in Camden Yards. On the season, he 4-1 with a 2.55 ERA (15 ER/53.0 IP) and 61 strikeouts against just 12 walks this season in 10 starts. The southpaw is in his 15th Major League season and is a combined 65-42 with a 3.84 ERA (397 ER/931.2 IP) and 993 strikeouts.
Schultz, 28, was in his first season in the Dodgers organization after spending the last six seasons with the Tampa Bay. He was acquired from the Rays on January 8 in exchange for right-handed pitcher Caleb Sampen. He pitched in four game for the Dodgers this season, going 0-0 with a 7.20 ERA (4 ER/5.0 IP) and three strikeouts. In 47 games for Triple-A Oklahoma City, he went 2-3 with a 5.85 ERA (31 ER/47.2 IP) and 62 strikeouts.
Today’s win the series lineup:
Joc (RF)
Beaty (3b)
Pollock (DH)
Belly (1b)
Seager (SS)
CT3 (LF)
Lux (2b)
Kike (CF)
Martin
Pitcher Dick Mountain
Martin 1 for 11 vs. Bundy. Guess he’s due.
Key strikeout to score 2 runs.
My son got the opportunity to get to know Gavin when he was with the Rancho Quakes last year. A lot of what I’m reading meshes with what I saw. Many fans found Gavin to be somewhat “cold” and “standoffish”. I don’t think I ever saw him smile. My son asked for his autograph several times on various items and he always signed. Later in the season he actually had some full conversations with my son. He was always polite but also very serious. When other players were goofing around Gavin wasn’t. I’m guessing he had a bit of a chip on his shoulder after his season with the Loons. The guy was determined. Ironically, he looks much more relaxed when I watch him play with the big club.
Very informative.
Sounds like Chase Utley to me. Hell, sounds like Kobe Bryant to me!
Welcome back Dick Mountain!
That’s in the Seager Utley mould.. Old school. Can’t remember Seager smiling much either
Wow, our game today is a national tv game on Fox?? I didn’t know Fox had prime time Thursday baseball games?
I can’t tell what’s up with Rich, but his facial expressions make me think he’s feeling some type of pain?
Unless Hill is hurt, why is he being taken out before even an inning? And if he is hurt, that is the season for him, which is a blow. I am surprised that Roberts did not even talk to him, so I’thinking that it was not pain which caused this, but we will see. If not, then he should have left him in. He has left plenty of pitchers in for three or four innings, even when not pitching well. Hill needs to work his way back, even if he understandably struggles.
Roberts did go out with the trainer and talk to Rich.
He is having pain in his left knee and will undergo an MRI. They took him out to prevent any further damage.
MLB.com says he was removed due to injury but gives no detail.
Knee injury to Hill.
I love our offense when we strike out and score 2 on a wild pitch. We’re just that good baby
Wow, Urias takes about as long as Baez does to throw a pitch
Hurry up dude
I don’t remember him ever taking this long. It’s frustrating.
Kenley with a clean inning. That’s encouraging! And that’s what bad teams do-give away wins! Very discouraging about Hill! Now we’ll have to find a fourth starter. And an offense!
Magic Number (to get best record in the NL) 11
Magic number overall 17 correct me if I’m wrong.
Kenley had some nice movement on his cutter. The only thing that concerned me was the fact that he ran two counts to 3 balls. When Kenley was at his best he threw strike after strike. And an efficient Kenley is a better Kenley. His past dominance was the product of stuff accompanied by impeccable control.
Baez and Urias have been our 2 best relievers. It would suck to lose Urias as a reliever if Hill can’t be the 4th starter in the playoffs. Also I like Urias in relief more often instead of the 3, 4 innings and then multiple days off.
If Hill is done, stats say Urias should be a reliever and stats say Gonsolin or May should be the 4th starter as of right now.
Magic Number 10
Magic number is 11. In October!
Dave Roberts has some sort of fascination with Hernandez. I understand starting Hernandez when there are no better options, but he starts Hernandez anyways with better options.
Hernandez 220 Average 701 OPS vs righties.
How about Freese with that 1191 OPS vs righties as the DH and Pollock in the outfield instead of Hernandez. I’m not claiming I’m smarter than Roberts but it doesn’t take a brain surgeon to read stats.
Hou lost again to Oakland.
We are now tied with Hou (who does own the tiebreaker over us however)