Lux extends unreal run with another huge game

July 18th, 2019

The Dodgers consistently preach the value of their depth, and it appears they have another star in the making who is propelling his way through the pipeline.

Gavin Lux homered for a fifth straight game on Thursday, going 5-for-6 and adding a pair of doubles in Triple-A Oklahoma City's 18-5 rout of Iowa. And that type of dominance has been standard for the Dodgers’ No. 2 prospect (MLB's No. 31 overall) since his promotion to OKC on June 27.

In his 15 games at the Triple-A level, Lux is slashing .531/.577/1.063. He has hit safely in each of those 15 games and has now reached base in 28 consecutive contests. He also hit .313/.375/.521 with 13 homers over 64 games for Double-A Tulsa prior to his promotion.

While Lux's recent streak deservedly garners the bulk of the headlines, he wasn't the only Dodgers prospect that starred on Thursday. DJ Peters (No. 10) and Edwin Rios (No. 12) combined to go 5-for-10 with a trio over homers and six RBIs.

Peters, a fourth-round pick from the 2016 Draft, finished 2-for-5 with four RBIs and brought his home run total up to 17 with his first two-homer game of the year. Meanwhile, Rios also hit his 17th homer as part of a 3-for-5 afternoon.

The middle infielder wasn't projected to reach the Majors until next season, but he’s certainly showing an aptitude to crush pitching at every level. According to MLB Pipeline scouting reports, Lux has exploited more power within his legs and created more lift in his left-handed swing, which has led to a power surplus as he’s grown into his 21-year-old body.

Lux, the Dodgers’ 20th overall pick in 2016 out of Kenosha, Wis., had been mentioned in trade rumors as a potential chip for the first-place Dodgers as the club hopes to bolster its roster ahead of what seems will be another pennant chase. But given L.A.’s standing -- it holds a 13 1/2-game lead over second-place Arizona in the National League West -- the club doesn’t have as much urgency to add ahead of the July 31 Trade Deadline.

And given the way he’s hitting, the club almost certainly wouldn’t part with what has become arguably its most coveted prospect.