It’s tough to be a fan of the Dodgers these days and not know what’s happening at the Triple-A level—at least when it comes to a certain 21-year-old infielder.
Exactly one year after winning his first Player of the Month award as a professional at the Double-A level in Tulsa, Gavin Lux snagged the same honor at Triple-A Oklahoma City. This time, though, his offensive numbers are literally through the roof, resembling those from some type of fantasy world.
For Oklahoma City in the month of July, the Wisconsin native posted a .435 batting average, 29 runs scored, a .519 on-base percentage, four triples, 40 hits, 26 RBI, 77 total bases and an .837 slugging percentage.
And, his hot streak hardly ended when the calendar turned to August. As an example, hitting in the leadoff spot on Wednesday night against Tacoma, Lux went 3-for-5 with two singles and a homer. The long ball was his tenth of the season. With the effort, he boosted his 2019 Triple-A average to a whopping .458.
Since his promotion to Triple-A on June 29 of this year, the left-handed hitting Lux is slashing an insane .458/.539/.855 with 14 doubles, four triples and 10 homers over 154 plate appearances. What’s even more impressive is that he’s collected 23 walks against just 26 punchouts.
Between Double-A and Triple-A combined this season, he has tallied 21 doubles, eight triples, nine stolen bases, 68 RBI and a monstrous 23 home runs.
Pundits knew there was a good chance that Lux’s numbers would improve after he was promoted out of the pitcher-friendly Texas League into the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, but nobody ever imagined the youngster would be handling the bat this well—especially Lux himself.
“When they say you’re unconscious and you literally don’t think about anything, that’s how it’s been,” Lux recently told Jacob Unruh of The Oklahoman. “It’s been a fun stretch.”
Many followers of the Dodgers felt that Lux deserved a promotion to the big leagues this season, particularly when the team’s depth at shortstop was decimated by the injuries to Chris Taylor and Enrique Hernandez.
However, management decided to snag super-utility man Kristopher Negron, who hasn’t been to shabby at the plate himself so far as a Dodger. To boot, Negron has even covered a bit of outfield to aid in the ailing groin of A.J. Pollock.
Regardless, it’s obvious that the team did not want to start Lux’s big league clock at that time. While there’s still indeed a chance the organization will find a way to add him to the 40-man roster and allow him to collect some big league experience next month, there’s also the possibility that he stays in the minors until the end of the year and eventually represents the Dodgers in the Arizona Fall League, following in the footsteps of teammates Keibert Ruiz last year and Matt Beaty, Will Smith and DJ Peters from 2017.
Either way, chances are good that there are many more offensive fireworks to come from Lux during the remainder of his 2019 campaign.
Fans will definitely be missing out on something truly special if they don’t stay closely tuned.
Lux should be up on Sept 1st. Unless they feel they need BP help, He is the logical choice. They might bring Barnes back for catching backup, but they will want Lux to get his feet wet. Pitching match ups for the D-Backs…..Gm 1. Buehler-Ray, Gm 2. Maeda-Young, Gm 3, Ryu-Leake
I think, as I mentioned in the story, that Lux will play in the AFL this fall. Just my guess.
They’ve moved the dates of the AFL up this year. Starting mid September and running through late October, so Gavin would probably rather be at Chavez Ravine during those dates rather than Arizona, not that he’ll have any say in the matter.
Stewart loses his roster spot to Zack Godley,…that has to be disheartening to him. Not even on the roster a week. Interesting thing posted today. Next year, the Yankees and the White Sox are going to Iowa to play a game at the Field of Dreams. A temporary 8,000 set of stands will be constructed for the game. There will be a plexiglass wall where the corn is. Pretty cool. Still one of the best baseball movies ever.
Now that the September call up roster is only 28 I think lux will stay down, by that time, kike, and Taylor should be healthy to go along with the acquisition of Negrón white, and gyrko, I don’t see the room for lux. I’d love to see him up here but don’t think he’ll make it.
I may be wrong Keith but I think that 28 limit only starts next year. This year it’s still 40. Someone please correct me if I’m wrong.
You are correct, Jeff. It’s still 40 this year. The changes don’t go into effect until Sept. 2020.
Thanks for confirming that Dennis. I’ve read in a few places that we’re not likely to bring up 12-15 guys on September 1st but that AF will probably only bring guys who would actually get some decent playing time. That could certainly include Lux but I’m guessing it will mostly be pitchers who are auditioning for the playoff bullpen.
I still think Lux will not debut this year. Gonna be a ton of infielders on that expanded roster if Enrique and Taylor come back completely healthy.
It could go any one of a number of ways. They might bring him up September 1st, give him some playing time for a couple weeks, and then send him to the AZL which starts mid September this year. That said, if he’s just finished a couple of weeks in the majors I’m not sure he would benefit from whatever the AZL would offer.
I know Smith said he got a lot out of just being up last year and hanging out with the guys. Felt it was easier to adapt when he finally got here this year.
Next year is also the start of the 26 man roster, and they will only be allowed to carry 13 pitchers. Same applies after September 1st.
I don’t see why they didn’t bring him up for this multi week stretch where we have been thin in the OF as well as the infield. You could have had Lux playing 2B everyday and Muncy at 1B with Bellinger her I’m CF or RF. What if he continues to rake when he gets the call to the big leagues? That’s things I would like to know when I’m trying to decide who I want on my playoff roster. I could think of worse things than having a .468 hitting Lux at leadoff in the lineup.
“You could have had Lux playing 2B everyday and Muncy at 1B with Bellinger in CF or RF.”
That’s what I would do at least for a few games in September. Negrón and White aren’t necessary.
Let the kid hit in the bigs. Or wait untill next year. Dang this is fun. Kind of like baseball cards all this juggleing.
We might be in the next 4 or 5 WS.
Don’t jinx us C.M. but that does sound nice. If they do as you propose scoop, assuming pollack plays five or six days a week who sits, pederson, verdugo; Beatty? It seems the front office wants Joc to play. I’ll give you credit though, we would be better defensively with your line up.