LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles Dodgers today announced their first four selections in the 2016 First-Year Player Draft, picking Indian Trail High School (Kenosha, WI) shortstop Gavin Lux with their first pick (20th overall), University of Louisville catcher Will Smith with their second selection in the first round (No. 32^nd overall, compensation pick for Zack Greinke), Vanderbilt University right-handed pitcher Jordan Sheffield in Compensation Round A (No. 36 overall, compensation pick for Kyle Funkhouser) and Santa Clara University right-handed pitcher Mitchell White in the second round (65^th overall).
Lux, a 6-foot-2, 175-pound left-handed hitting shortstop, hit .531 (43-for-81) with six home runs, 10 doubles, four triples, 31 RBI and 23 stolen bases this spring. He also drew 29 walks, while only striking out twice, in 26 games in 2016. Lux, 18, was rated by Baseball America as the fourth-best shortstop in the 2016 draft and was the 36th overall prospect. He was also named the Gatorade State player of the year for Wisconsin.
"He has a lot of athleticism, has really good hands and has enough arm strength to stay at shortstop," said Dodger Director of Amateur Scouting Billy Gasparino. "He is a very good baseball player, and we really think he has a good chance to be a really good hitter at the Major League level. He has a great mix of talent and skill, and has a very high character."
Lux was scouted by Dodger area scout Trey Magnuson and it marked the first time that the Dodgers selected a position player with their first overall pick since Corey Seager in 2012. Los Angeles has selected a pitcher with their first pick of the draft in 10 of the last 12 years.
With their second selection of the first round, the Dodgers selected University of Louisville catcher Will Smith. The right-handed hitting catcher was rated by Baseball America as the sixth-best catcher in the draft and became the first catcher since Paul Konerko in 1994 to be drafted in the first round by the Dodgers. Smith, 21, was scouted by scout Marty Lamb.
Smith had a breakout junior season, hitting .380 (57-for-150) with eight doubles, seven home runs and 43 RBI in 53 games along with a .476 OBP and a .573 SLG for the Cardinals this year. He was also named third-team All-ACC this year, while leading the Cardinals to the 2016 NCAA Super Regional, where they will face UC Santa Barbara on Saturday, June 11. During the course of his three-year college career, Smith has posted a .289/.389/.410 slashline with 20 doubles, seven home runs and 43 RBI, along with a .991 fielding percentage.
"After converting from shortstop to catcher when joining Louisville, it took him a while to sync in at that position in the college level," said Gasparino. "But we think he is a great athlete with a plus arm, and he can really receive and throw the ball well. He has always had a short compact swing with good bat speed and controls the zone very well. He is a great leader on the field, and his intangibles are off the chart."
With their third pick before the second round, the Dodgers selected Vanderbilt University right-handed pitcher Jordan Sheffield, who was rated by Baseball America as the 12^th-best pitcher in the draft and the 23^rd-overall prospect. The 5-foot-10, 195-pound redshirt sophomore and Golden Spikes Award semifinalist went 8-6 in 16 starts this season. posting a 3.01 ERA (34 ER/101.2 IP), and struck out 113 batters against 40 walks. The Tullahoma, TN, native went 13-8 with a 2.84 ERA in 38 games (22 starts) during the course of his career at Vanderbilt. The 21-year-old was also scouted by Lamb.
"He is very athletic, maybe one of the better athletes in the draft at any position. and he is up to 96 and has big arm strength," said Gasparino. "He is a highly competitive kid, and he knows the game and understands professional baseball really well. His changeup has really developed this year into a plus pitch, and the breaking ball has always been a calling card for him."
In the second round, Los Angeles selected 21-year-old Santa Clara University right-handed pitcher Mitchell White. As a redshirt sophomore in 2016, he has posted a 3-6 record in 15 starts while recording a 3.72 ERA (38 ER/92.0 IP). Rated as the 138^th-overall prospect by Baseball America, he led the Broncos in starts (15), innings pitched (92.0), strikeouts (118) and strikeout per nine innings (11.54) this season. The San Jose, CA native was named to the 2015 All-West Coast Conference Freshman Team after finishing the year 3-2 with a 3.62 ERA (13 ER/32.1 IP) and five saves in 29 relief appearances as a redshirt freshman. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound pitcher was scouted by Dodger scout Tom Kunis.
"He was a second half performer this year and went up to 95 late in the year, collecting multiple high strikeout games. He has a plus slider, he is big, he is physical, and we really feel like he is trending up into being a mid-rotation starter," said Gasparino.  
The 2016 First-Year Player Draft will continue tomorrow with rounds 3-10 starting at 9:30 a.m. (PST) and rounds 11-40 on Saturday starting at 9:00 a.m. (PST).