PHOENIX _ Rosters expanded across baseball Sunday as the calendar flipped to September and the Los Angeles Dodgers added three veterans to their roster off the injured list for their 4-3 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks. They'll add another player at Dodger Stadium on Monday to more hype.
Gavin Lux, the organization's top prospect, will join the Dodgers and make his major league debut against the Colorado Rockies. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Lux will start at second base.
"Gavin's earned this opportunity," Roberts said. "I think that's kind of plain and simple."
Lux, 21, stormed his way through the minor leagues over the last two years. A first-round pick in 2016, the middle infielder solidified himself as a bona fide prospect last season when he batted .324 with 15 home runs and a .913 on-base-plus-slugging percentage in 116 games between Class-A Rancho Cucamonga and double-A Tulsa.
He produced at a higher clip this year, batting .313 with 13 home runs and an .896 OPS in 64 games for Tulsa before getting called up to triple-A Oklahoma City. In 49 games for Oklahoma City, he hit .392 with 13 home runs and a 1.197 OPS. Between the two levels, he slashed .347/.421/.607 and accumulated 61 walks in 523 plate appearances.
Defensively, the Wisconsin native had throwing accuracy problems resurface in spring training that continued into the early part of the season. He corrected them and made 13 errors in 776 innings on defense, primarily at shortstop.
Over the last month, in preparation for a possible call-up to the majors, the Dodgers had Lux play second base. He made 12 starts there for Oklahoma City after six with Tulsa.
Roberts said Lux will play regularly. Max Muncy's wrist fracture, suffered last week, opens more opportunities at second base than initially thought. He can also spell Corey Seager at shortstop.
"I think we're all excited to see him," Roberts said. "It's very exciting to see a young player who can play both sides of the baseball. Dynamic, organizational guy. To see his debut at home, we're all excited."
