Cody Snavely
The Los Angeles Dodgers officially traded former top prospect Gavin Lux to the Cincinnati Reds, ending what was a tumultuous tenure in the Dodgers organization.
However, why did the Dodgers, led by President of Baseball Operations Andrew Freidman and General Manager Brandon Gomes, decide to trade Lux, and what does it mean for the roster moving forward?
Hyeseong Kim’s Versatility is Something Lux Didn’t Offer
After the Los Angeles Dodgers signed Korean middle infielder Hyeseong Kim to a 3-year, $12.5 million deal, with options that could extend it to a 5-year, $22 million deal, that was the first indication that Lux’s time in Dodger Blue could be coming to an end.
Both players were middle infielders by trade and played primarily at second base. Both Kim and Lux were left-handed batters with little power but good bat-to-ball skills. Unlike Lux, Kim was an elite defender who won back-to-back fielding awards in the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) before coming to the United States.
Despite Dodgers General Manager Brandon Gomes stating that the plan for Kim was utility, plugging in and playing all over the diamond with Mookie Betts still at shortstop and Lux as the everyday second baseman, the Dodgers still had one too many infielders on their roster.
However, where Kim has the advantage over Lux is the ability to play multiple positions at an above-average level. Kim, 25, spends time at second base, shortstop, third base, and both corner outfield positions.
While Lux has also played multiple positions in his career, including center field during the 2021 season, he is primarily just a third baseman. While the Dodgers did give Lux the runway to win the shortstop gig last year in spring training, he would lose out to Mookie Betts after multiple defensive miscues.
After a .800 fielding percentage and two errors, the Dodgers pulled the plug on Lux at short, shifting Mookie Betts from right field to second base to shortstop, and we all know how the rest of that story unfolded.
With Lux gone, Kim is likely to be the new primary second baseman if all goes well during spring training. However, the Dodgers also have Tommy Edman, who won a Gold Glove Award at second during the 2021 season, Miguel Rojas, who the Dodgers exercised his $3.5 million club option for 2025, and, according to Dodgers insider David Vassegh, the door is not closed on a potential Kiké Hernández reunion.
Out of all those named, Lux is the only one who is not able to play multiple positions. His abysmal splits against left-handed pitching (.152/.220/.174, .394 OPS, and 17 wRC+) make him more of a platoon player.
It seems that the Dodgers’ plan for second base at this point is a revolving door between Kim, Rojas, Edman, and possibly Kiké Hernández if he re-signs, which is a better tandem than Lux alone.
Compensation Pick Gives the Dodgers Flexibility in Upcoming Draft
The other half in the return from the Cincinnati Reds for Gavin Lux is a compensation pick for next year’s Major League Player Draft, which is projected to be the 37th overall selection.
Due to the Dodgers being over the 2024 Competitive Balance Tax ($237 million) and repeat offenders exceeding the tax every year since the 2021 season, they have their pick moved back ten spots. That said, since the Dodgers finished with the best record in Major League Baseball last season (98-64) and were over the CBT, their first pick in next year’s draft was pushed to the 40th overall.
With the Dodgers trading Lux, they now jump up to the 37th spot, which in sports like the National Football League isn’t much. In baseball, it means a lot to a team like the Dodgers, who draft near the bottom every year.
Even in recent years, the Dodgers have turned their top draft picks into multiple top prospects since Andrew Friedman took over after the 2014 season, drafting such players as Walker Buehler, Bobby Miller, and Dalton Rushing.
Opens spot on 40-man Roster; Dodgers Still in on Sasaki & Kiké Hernández
With Lux officially traded to the Cincinnati Reds, a spot has opened up on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster, which now has thirty-nine players.
By all accounts, the Dodgers are not done this offseason. They are linked to multiple players via trade and free agency, such as top left-handed relief pitcher Tanner Scott and Rōki Sasaki, who must sign by January 23rd.
While the Dodgers got back a compensation draft pick, they also received Mike Sirota, a 23-year-old outfielder who was the Cincinnati Reds’ third-round pick in last year’s Major League Player Draft.
Sirota is not Rule-5 eligible until the 2027 offseason, meaning he does not have to occupy a 40-man roster spot, giving the Dodgers more flexibility this winter.
By next month when pitchers and catcher officially report to camp, the Dodgers will also have a few more spots open up on the 40-man when they transfer players such as River Ryan, Gavin Stone, and Emmet Sheehan to the 60-day injured list as they’re slated to miss most if not all of the upcoming season.
However, with the additional spot opened, the Dodgers can explore multiple avenues over the next several weeks, including another possible trade involving recently DFA’d catching prospect Diego Cartaya.
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