Lux leads Player of the Week winners
The transition to Triple-A can be difficult for a lot of players. Gavin Lux definitely isn't among them. The second-ranked Dodgers prospect was named Pacific Coast League Player of the Week from July 15-21 following a seven-game stretch in which he went 15-for-30 with five home runs, one triple, two
The transition to Triple-A can be difficult for a lot of players.
The second-ranked Dodgers prospect was named Pacific Coast League Player of the Week from July 15-21 following a seven-game stretch in which he went 15-for-30 with five home runs, one triple, two doubles, 12 RBIs, seven walks and seven runs scored.
"I've gone on one of those stretches where I feel like everything, it doesn't matter what pitch it is or where it is, every pitch is hitting the barrel," said Lux, who was promoted to Oklahoma City on June 27. "When it's going good like that, you got to take it while you can because it can always change pretty fast."
It's reached the point where his teammates joke with him after he makes a rare out.
"Yeah," the Wisconsin native said with a laugh. "Yesterday I made an out in my first at-bat and one of my teammates said, 'Are you feeling all right today?' Just little stuff like that. It's funny but it helps keep me loose, too. It's a really good environment to be around."
Dodgers manager Travis Barbary is amazed at what Lux has been accomplishing since his arrival.
"Everyone here is pretty much in awe of what he's doing," he told MiLB.com on Thursday. "When he gets a double, everyone's thinking, 'Really? Here we go again.' Then, he hit another homer, and you can only think, 'Really?' There's a little bit of sarcasm in that, but I think everyone here knows we haven't seen someone be this hot before. Even my hitting coach, Scott Coolbaugh, said he hasn't seen a hitter on a run like this. in the gap, out of the park, all over the place -- if he gets his pitch, he's not gonna miss it."
Barbary's words came after yet another big game from the left-handed hitter. In a 18-5 rout over Iowa, Lux racked up his first career five-hit game and homered, the last of five straight games in which he smacked a long ball.
Lux credits Coolbaugh with his hot start, explaining that his approach to adjustments has gone from at-bat to at-bat to pitch to pitch.
"Just trying to think ahead and think with the pitcher on what he might try to do and set up next," Lux said. "I think a lot of credit goes to that."
MLB.com's No. 30 overall prospect has a .487/.552/.961 slash line with seven dingers, three triples, nine doubles, 23 RBIs, 11 walks and 29 runs scored with Oklahoma City. He's reached base in all 18 games since being called up and has a hit in all but one.
After seeing Lux clear the fences twice and drive in a career-high five RBIs against Iowa on July 17, teammate
![](https://milb.bamcontent.com/assets/images/2/7/0/221450270/cuts/milb_300_4_patq8fnk_timudjpz.jpg)
"It's special to watch," the fourth-ranked Dodgers prospect said. "There's hot and then there's what Gavin Lux is right now. He's putting together good at-bats. He's swinging at the right pitches. He's not overmatched at all by some older guys he's faced, and he's just not missing pitches he should hit. It's been fun to watch him."
Not even Lux himself foresaw this beginning at Triple-A coming, but a good first game made him realize that he was ready to take on the talent this level presents on a daily basis.
"Obviously, that first game where I got three hits just told me that I feel like I can play there," he said. "That was a pretty good confidence booster."
No matter the stats and the accolades coming his way, leaving the field with a victory is of the upmost importance to Lux.
"I think when me, [Dodgers third-ranked prospect]
Below is the complete list of Minor League Offensive Players of the Week for July 15-21:
League | Player | Team | MLB | Stats |
---|---|---|---|---|
International | Narciso Crook | Louisville | CIN | .455/.538/1.273, 6 G, 10-for-22, 3 3B, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 6 R, 4 BB, 6 K |
Pacific Coast | Gavin Lux | Oklahoma City | LAD | .500/.595/1.133, 7 G, 15-for-30, 2 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 12 RBI, 7 R, 7 BB, 6 K |
Eastern | Jason Krizan | Binghamton | NYM | .462/.500/.885, 6 G, 12-for-26, 5 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 4 R, 2 BB, 0 K |
Southern | Stone Garrett | Jacksonville | MIA | .571/.609/.905, 5 G, 12-for-21, 1 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 7 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 2 SB |
Texas | Ivan Castillo | Amarillo | SD | .435/.458/.783, 5 G, 10-for-23, 2 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 7 R, 1 BB, 3 K |
California | Sandro Fabian | San Jose | SF | .474/.545/.789, 5 G, 9-for-19, 0 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 7 R, 2 BB, 2 K, 2 SB |
Carolina | Craig Dedelow | Winston-Salem | CWS | .455/.538/1.000, 6 G, 10-for-22, 1 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 7 R, 3 BB, 5 K |
Florida State | Cal Mitchell | Bradenton | PIT | .500/.571/1.167, 5 G, 9-for-18, 3 2B, 3 HR, 13 RBI, 8 R, 2 BB, 2 K |
Midwest | Brendan Donovan | Peoria | STL | .560/.593/.920, 6 G, 14-for-25, 4 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 8 R, 1 BB, 5 K |
South Atlantic | Miguel Aparicio | Hickory | TEX | .364/.375/1.045, 6 G, 8-for-22, 3 2B, 4 HR, 6 RBI, 7 R, 1 BB, 3 K |
New York-Penn | Ezequiel Duran | Staten Island | NYY | .462/.500/.846, 6 G, 12-for-26, 4 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 5 R, 2 BB, 6 K |
Northwest | Blaine Crim | Spokane | TEX | .440/.500/.800, 7 G, 11-for-25, 3 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 7 R, 3 BB, 3 K |
Appalachian | David Hollie | Burlington | KC | .467/.667/1.333, 5 G, 7-for-15, 1 2B, 4 HR, 7 RBI, 10 R, 4 BB, 7 K, 1 SB |
Pioneer | Colin Simpson | Grand Junction | COL | .381/.409/.905, 5 G, 8-for-21, 1 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 7 R, 1 BB, 7 K |
Brian Stultz is a contributor to MiLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @brianjstultz.