The Cincinnati Reds have acquired infielder Gavin Lux from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for a draft pick and a minor league outfield prospect the teams announced.
With LA moving Mookie Betts to shortstop and subsequently signing 2B Hyeoseong Kim last week, Lux became expendable for the defending World Series champions. Heading back the other way is Cincinnati’s competitive balance Round A pick and outfield Mike Sirota. Sirota is a 6’3″ right handed bat who was a 3rd draft pick in 2024.
Ironically, Sirota was originally drafted by the Dodgers back in 2021 in the 16th round. However, the talented hitter took his combination of speed and power to Northeastern to play ball collegiately. It was a gamble that ultimately paid off as his draft stock rose 13 rounds in 2024.
“[Gavin]’s a guy who has a chance to come in and be in our lineup and lengthen that lineup out,” Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall said during a Monday video call with reporters. “Just us being able to add a left-handed hitter that hits well against right-handed pitching.”
The two-time World Series champion is expected to make roughly $3M in arbitration money this year, providing an impact player at a cost effective price for the Reds. Across the final 61 games of 2024, Lux hit .304/.390/.508, showcasing the kind of talent that once ranked him amongst baseball’s elite prospects.
It remains to be seen where the versatile Lux will take the majority of his reps in 2025. Cincinnati already features a logjam in their infield with the likes of Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain, Noelvi Marte, Jeimer Dandelario, Spencer Steer, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, and Santiago Espinal. Luckily, Lux has also played multiple games at the MLB level in the outfield, which may be where he starts his career with the Reds.
Photo: David. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.