Gavin Lux

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Dodgers #1 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Wisconsin high school players are historically one of the draft's least successful demographics, but Lux was a unique case. His uncle Augie Schmidt won the 1982 Golden Spikes Award and later became the coach at Division III Carthage (Wis.) College, where Lux began accompanying him to practices as a 6-year-old. After blossoming physically as a high school senior, Lux became the first Wisconsin prep drafted in the first round in 37 years when the Dodgers selected him 20th overall in 2016. He struggled in his first full season, but after adding 20 pounds to his skinny frame and adjusting his bat path, Lux took off. He raised his batting average 80 points and his slugging percentage 152 points from 2017 to 2018, and in 2019 he upped his game again. Lux hit .347 with a 1.028 OPS, both fourth in the minors, between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-Oklahoma City and won BA Minor League Player of the Year. He received his first major league callup Sept. 2 and took over as the Dodgers' primary second baseman down the stretch.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman called Lux's approach “the most mature I've ever been around in someone his age.” When Lux gets a pitch to hit, he explodes on it with above-average bat speed and a leveraged swing that allows him to drive the ball from gap to gap. Once a doubles hitter, Lux's liners have increasingly carried over the fence to right and center field as he's added muscle. With an advanced approach and an increasingly impactful swing, Lux projects as a consensus plus hitter with a chance to hit .300 in his best years and 20 or more home runs per season. Lux has maintained his plus speed and athleticism even as he added muscle. He doesn't run often, but he picks his spots well. Lux is a leader in the infield at shortstop. He attacks the ball, reads hops well and gets the ball out quickly. Lux has the athleticism, lateral range and above-average arm strength to stick at shortstop, but longstanding throwing accuracy issues make him more reliable at second base.
  
  THE FUTURE: Lux is ready to step in as the Dodgers' everyday second baseman. He has a chance to become their No. 2 hitter and an all-star.
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Dodgers #3 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: When the Dodgers drafted Lux 20th overall in 2016, he was a skinny teenager with athleticism and instincts--his uncle Augie Schmidt was the No. 2 pick in 1982--but he was short on physicality. After a middling first full season, Lux bulked up and broke out in 2018. Bigger, stronger and faster, Lux led all full-season minor league shortstops in batting average and slugging percentage as he surged from high Class A to Double-A, winning Dodgers minor league player of the year.
  
  Scouting Report: Lux caught up to velocity and recognized pitches even when he struggled, and his added strength unlocked an above-average hitter with growing power. Lux has a rhythmic, athletic setup that allows him to fire his barrel through the zone, and a path adjustment to get on plane resulted in significantly more hard contact in the air. Lux mostly pulls the ball on a line, but can elevate for home runs to tease average power. Lux stayed limber as he got stronger and remains an above-average runner with plus baserunning instincts. He has the range, hands, athleticism and above-average arm strength for shortstop, but throwing accuracy issues have him largely projected to second base
  
  The Future: Lux has the bat to profile at either middle infield position, likely as a No. 2-type hitter with a lot of doubles. He'll see Triple-A Oklahoma City in 2018.
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Dodgers #13 prospect in 2018
  Lux's uncle Augie Schmidt was the No. 2 overall pick in 1982 after winning the Golden Spikes Award. Lux followed in his uncle's footsteps as a first-rounder when the Dodgers drafted him with the 20th overall pick in 2016 and signed him for $2,314,500. The Wisconsin native got off to a poor start in his first full season with low Class A Great Lakes, but rebounded to hit .260 with six of his seven home runs in the second half. Lux recognizes pitches, controls the strike zone and manages at-bats well. His lefthanded stroke features good bat speed and more strength than expected, although he is too passive at times. Lefties give him trouble, holding him a .165/.250/.217 line. Lux is a plus runner with above-average arm strength, plus hands and solid instincts at shortstop. His tools play down, however, because he has trouble syncing his upper and lower body and lacks fluidity in his transfer and throwing motion. The result was 14 of his 24 errors were throwing, and evaluators are concerned his lack of fluidity will only get worse as he gets older. Lux may have to move to second or third base, which puts extra pressure on his offense to improve. He will head to high Class A Rancho Cucamonga in 2018.
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Dodgers #9 prospect in 2017
  Lux is a nephew of Augie Schmidt, who won the Golden Spikes Award as the nation's top college player in 1982 for New Orleans and was the No. 2 overall pick in the draft that year. Lux emerged from cold-weather Wisconsin and went 20th overall in the 2016 draft, signing with the Dodgers for $2,314,500 to forgo an Arizona State commitment. Lux is a steady player whose best asset is he should be able stick at shortstop, though he also has a chance to be a solid hitter. He has a smooth, low-maintenance swing from the left side with good bat speed, a line-drive approach and the ability to use the whole field. He is a patient hitter who works deep counts. Improved strength helped him his senior year, but he doesn't have much power yet and projects as more of a doubles hitter than a home run threat. Lux is a good athlete with above-average speed despite an awkward gait, quick feet, smooth actions and a solid-average arm with a quick exchange at shortstop. Coming out of a Wisconsin high school, Lux hasn't faced much quality competition yet, though he had a sound debut in the Rookie-level Arizona League. He should be comfortable going to the cold weather of low Class A Great Lakes to begin his first full season.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #36 prospect in 2016 draft
  In a draft lacking in true shortstops, Lux impresses because he's one of the few high school shortstops in the draft class with a solid chance to remain at the position. A quick-twitch athlete with the hands, actions and a little of the flash that shortstops often have, Lux lacks only ideal arm strength. It's solid average and it's accurate with a quick release, but many teams like to see shortstops have a plus arm. He's an above-average runner, though his feet move quickly. At the plate, Lux has a pretty lefthanded stroke that has shown improved power as he's matured and added weight and strength over the past year. The track record of Wisconsin high school draftees is sparse and rather disappointing, but Lux's smooth actions and athleticism separate him from the typical Wisconsin product. He should be a solid early-round pick who had late helium, which will make it hard for him to stick with his Arizona State commitment. His uncle, Augie Schmidt, was the No. 2 overall pick in the 1982 draft as the Golden Spikes Award winner that year.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Pacific Coast League #3 prospect in 2019
  Lux joined the PCL on June 27 and led the league in batting average (.392), on-base percentage (.478) and runs scored (54) until he received his first big league callup on Sept. 2. He also finished third in slugging percentage (.719), showing newfound opposite-field power. "He’s got power he doesn’t look like he has,” Tacoma manager Daren Brown said. "The ball really comes off his bat.” A plus hitter with average or better power, Lux profiles at either middle infield spot defensively. He solved his longstanding throwing issues from shortstop but is still best at second base, where he showed above-average.
• 
  Ranked Texas League #1 prospect in 2019
  Lux played his first 64 games in the Texas League before taking Triple-A by storm and making his major league debut Sept. 2. Lux showed the tools to be an above-average defensive second baseman or a capable major league shortstop in the future, but his ability at the plate is what turned him into one of baseball’s best prospects. Lux posted an .896 OPS in just under half a season with Tulsa, which would have been second-best OPS among qualified TL hitters if he had enough at-bats. He added strength to his once-skinny frame and now projects for above-average power to go with potentially plus hitting ability. Lux is also an above-average runner, although knee issues slowed him down in 2019. "He is the real deal,” one Texas League manager said. "He grinds out at-bats, he hits lefthanded pitching, the arm strength is there . . . I see no reason why he isn’t a no-doubt major league shortstop.”
• 
  Ranked California League #4 prospect in 2018
  Lux got stronger and adjusted his bat path after a disappointing first pro season, and the result was a breakthrough in year two. He ranked in the top five in the Cal League in batting average (second), on-base percentage (second), runs (second), total bases (third) and slugging percentage (fourth) before being promoted on Aug. 1, and then hit .324 in Double-A. Lux did all that while showing above-average speed, above-average arm strength and impressive range and reflexes at shortstop, particularly moving to his left. “He was one of the best athletes in the league,” Lake Elsinore manager Edwin Rodriguez said. “He moves well, accelerates on the bases. And then he’s very aware of his strike zone, handles righties and lefties well, drives the ball. He’s an athlete.” Lux committed 27 errors—mostly throwing—because he tends to pop up out of his legs and sail the ball over the first baseman’s head. Those longstanding throwing accuracy issues have most projecting him to second base, where he now has the bat to profile.
• 
  Ranked Arizona Complex League #9 prospect in 2016
  Prior to signing as the 20th overall pick, Lux had committed to play at Arizona State. He instead made his pro debut at the Dodgers' complex, 30 miles west of the ASU campus. He started nearly every AZL game at shortstop, batting at or near the top of the order. With tools that don't necessarily jump out, Lux won over scouts and rival AZL managers with his steady play. He's an advanced defender with quick feet and at least a solid-average arm, and he showed the ability to make all the plays at shortstop. He takes a good approach, good bat speed and a low-maintenance swing to the plate, profiling best as a patient, line-drive hitter. The biggest criticism was that Lux was sometimes too selective at the plate. He's a plus runner but he didn't attempt many stolen bases. Lux impressed the Dodgers staff with his makeup and work ethic. "I've seen a professional attitude," Dodgers manager John Shoemaker said, "someone who's willing to listen and who's able to adapt."

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #4 prospect in 2020
• Ranked Baseball America's #40 prospect in 2019

• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Wisconsin high school players are historically one of the draft’s least successful demographics, but Lux was a unique case. His uncle Augie Schmidt won the 1982 Golden Spikes Award and later became the coach at Division III Carthage (Wis.) College, where Lux began accompanying him to practices as a 6-year-old. After blossoming physically as a high school senior, Lux became the first Wisconsin prep drafted in the first round in 37 years when the Dodgers selected him 20th overall in 2016. He struggled in his first full season, but after adding 20 pounds to his skinny frame and adjusting his bat path, Lux took off. He raised his batting average 80 points and his slugging percentage 152 points from 2017 to 2018, and in 2019 he upped his game again. Lux hit .347 with a 1.028 OPS, both fourth in the minors, between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-Oklahoma City and won BA Minor League Player of the Year. He received his first major league callup Sept. 2 and took over as the Dodgers’ primary second baseman down the stretch.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman called Lux’s approach “the most mature I’ve ever been around in someone his age.” When Lux gets a pitch to hit, he explodes on it with above-average bat speed and a leveraged swing that allows him to drive the ball from gap to gap. Once a doubles hitter, Lux’s liners have increasingly carried over the fence to right and center field as he’s added muscle. With an advanced approach and an increasingly impactful swing, Lux projects as a consensus plus hitter with a chance to hit .300 in his best years and 20 or more home runs per season. Lux has maintained his plus speed and athleticism even as he added muscle. He doesn’t run often, but he picks his spots well. Lux is a leader in the infield at shortstop. He attacks the ball, reads hops well and gets the ball out quickly. Lux has the athleticism, lateral range and above-average arm strength to stick at shortstop, but longstanding throwing accuracy issues make him more reliable at second base.
  
  THE FUTURE: Lux is ready to step in as the Dodgers’ everyday second baseman. He has a chance to become their No. 2 hitter and an all-star. SCOUTING GRADES Hit: 60. Power: 55. Run: 60. Field: 50. Arm: 55. BA GRADE 60 Risk: Medium
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Wisconsin high school players are historically one of the draft's least successful demographics, but Lux was a unique case. His uncle Augie Schmidt won the 1982 Golden Spikes Award and later became the coach at Division III Carthage (Wis.) College, where Lux began accompanying him to practices as a 6-year-old. After blossoming physically as a high school senior, Lux became the first Wisconsin prep drafted in the first round in 37 years when the Dodgers selected him 20th overall in 2016. He struggled in his first full season, but after adding 20 pounds to his skinny frame and adjusting his bat path, Lux took off. He raised his batting average 80 points and his slugging percentage 152 points from 2017 to 2018, and in 2019 he upped his game again. Lux hit .347 with a 1.028 OPS, both fourth in the minors, between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-Oklahoma City and won BA Minor League Player of the Year. He received his first major league callup Sept. 2 and took over as the Dodgers' primary second baseman down the stretch.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman called Lux's approach “the most mature I've ever been around in someone his age.” When Lux gets a pitch to hit, he explodes on it with above-average bat speed and a leveraged swing that allows him to drive the ball from gap to gap. Once a doubles hitter, Lux's liners have increasingly carried over the fence to right and center field as he's added muscle. With an advanced approach and an increasingly impactful swing, Lux projects as a consensus plus hitter with a chance to hit .300 in his best years and 20 or more home runs per season. Lux has maintained his plus speed and athleticism even as he added muscle. He doesn't run often, but he picks his spots well. Lux is a leader in the infield at shortstop. He attacks the ball, reads hops well and gets the ball out quickly. Lux has the athleticism, lateral range and above-average arm strength to stick at shortstop, but longstanding throwing accuracy issues make him more reliable at second base.
  
  THE FUTURE: Lux is ready to step in as the Dodgers' everyday second baseman. He has a chance to become their No. 2 hitter and an all-star.
• August, 2019 Scouting Report
  Track Record: When the Dodgers drafted Lux 20th overall in 2016, he was a skinny teenager with athleticism and instincts--his uncle Augie Schmidt was the No. 2 pick in 1982--but he was short on physicality. After a middling first full season, Lux bulked up and broke out in 2018. Bigger, stronger and faster, Lux led all full-season minor league shortstops in batting average and slugging percentage as he surged from high Class A to Double-A, winning Dodgers minor league player of the year.
  
  Scouting Report: Lux caught up to velocity and recognized pitches even when he struggled, and his added strength unlocked an above-average hitter with growing power. Lux has a rhythmic, athletic setup that allows him to fire his barrel through the zone, and a path adjustment to get on plane resulted in significantly more hard contact in the air. Lux mostly pulls the ball on a line, but can elevate for home runs to tease average power. Lux stayed limber as he got stronger and remains an above-average runner with plus baserunning instincts. He has the range, hands, athleticism and above-average arm strength for shortstop, but throwing accuracy issues have him largely projected to second base
  
  The Future: Lux has the bat to profile at either middle infield position, likely as a No. 2-type hitter with a lot of doubles. He'll see Triple-A Oklahoma City in 2018.
• February, 2019 Scouting Report
  Track Record: When the Dodgers drafted Lux 20th overall in 2016, he was a skinny teenager with athleticism and instincts--his uncle Augie Schmidt was the No. 2 pick in 1982--but he was short on physicality. After a middling first full season, Lux bulked up and broke out in 2018. Bigger, stronger and faster, Lux led all full-season minor league shortstops in batting average and slugging percentage as he surged from high Class A to Double-A, winning Dodgers minor league player of the year.
  
  Scouting Report: Lux caught up to velocity and recognized pitches even when he struggled, and his added strength unlocked an above-average hitter with growing power. Lux has a rhythmic, athletic setup that allows him to fire his barrel through the zone, and a path adjustment to get on plane resulted in significantly more hard contact in the air. Lux mostly pulls the ball on a line, but can elevate for home runs to tease average power. Lux stayed limber as he got stronger and remains an above-average runner with plus baserunning instincts. He has the range, hands, athleticism and above-average arm strength for shortstop, but throwing accuracy issues have him largely projected to second base
  
  The Future: Lux has the bat to profile at either middle infield position, likely as a No. 2-type hitter with a lot of doubles. He'll see Triple-A Oklahoma City in 2018.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  Lux played his first 64 games in the Texas League before taking Triple-A by storm and making his major league debut Sept. 2. Lux showed the tools to be an above-average defensive second baseman or a capable major league shortstop in the future, but his ability at the plate is what turned him into one of baseball’s best prospects. Lux posted an .896 OPS in just under half a season with Tulsa, which would have been second-best OPS among qualified TL hitters if he had enough at-bats. He added strength to his once-skinny frame and now projects for above-average power to go with potentially plus hitting ability. Lux is also an above-average runner, although knee issues slowed him down in 2019. "He is the real deal,” one Texas League manager said. "He grinds out at-bats, he hits lefthanded pitching, the arm strength is there . . . I see no reason why he isn’t a no-doubt major league shortstop.”
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  Lux joined the PCL on June 27 and led the league in batting average (.392), on-base percentage (.478) and runs scored (54) until he received his first big league callup on Sept. 2. He also finished third in slugging percentage (.719), showing newfound opposite-field power. "He’s got power he doesn’t look like he has,” Tacoma manager Daren Brown said. "The ball really comes off his bat.” A plus hitter with average or better power, Lux profiles at either middle infield spot defensively. He solved his longstanding throwing issues from shortstop but is still best at second base, where he showed above-average.
• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  Lux bulked up to 195 pounds without losing any flexibility, allowing him to increase his power while maintaining the foot speed and range to stay in the middle infield. Lux has already surpassed his career highs in doubles and home runs, and is consistently pulling the ball in the air with authority with a retooled swing. Defensively Lux is showing the range, hands and arm strength to project as a solid-average defender at shortstop, but issues with his footwork and throwing accuracy have most projecting him to second base, where his improved bat profiles.
• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: Lux is a nephew of Augie Schmidt, who won the Golden Spikes Award as the nation's top college player in 1982 for New Orleans and was the No. 2 overall pick in the draft that year. Lux emerged from cold-weather Wisconsin and went 20th overall in the 2016 draft, signing with the Dodgers for $2,314,500 to forgo an Arizona State commitment. Scouting Report: Lux is a steady player whose best asset is he should be able stick at shortstop, though he also has a chance to be a solid hitter. He has a smooth, low-maintenance swing from the left side with good bat speed, a line-drive approach and the ability to use the whole field. He is a patient hitter who works deep counts. Improved strength helped him his senior year, but he doesn't have much power yet and projects as more of a doubles hitter than a regular home run threat. Lux is a good athlete with above-average speed despite an awkward gait, quick feet, smooth actions and a solid-average arm with a quick exchange at shortstop.
  
  The Future: Coming out of a Wisconsin high school, Lux hasn't faced much quality competition yet, though he had a sound debut in the Rookie-level Arizona League. He should be comfortable going to the cold weather of low Class A Great Lakes to begin his first full season.