Los Angeles Dodgers prospect Miguel Vargas made his long-anticipated MLB debut against the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday night and helped lead the club to a 3-0 victory.
Vargas batted seventh as the designated hitter and roped an RBI double at 106 mph in his first at-bat to put L.A. up 1-0 in the second inning. He then went on to steal third base on the first pitch after his extra-base hit.
While Vargas has never been known to steal many bases, he decided to swipe the bag on his own because of overflowing with confidence, according to Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
“I just felt incredible and I didn’t feel like anyone could stop me,” he said, his natural swagger combined with the raw emotional rush of a big-league debut in one statement.”
In his next plate appearance, Vargas drove in another run with a single to put the Dodgers up 2-0. He finished his debut going 2-for-4 with two RBI and a stolen base with his family in attendance.
After the game, Vargas said he was just trying to enjoy the experience and he was able to produce, via SportsNet LA:
“It was a dream come true and I enjoyed it as much as I possibly could. … I just tried to enjoy the moment. I didn’t really think about much up there, I just tried to enjoy the moment as best as I could. I left it up to God, and thankfully I was able to produce.”
Vargas’ stock has skyrocketed both within and outside the organization recently and was among the Dodgers’ prospects to represent the club in the 2022 MLB Futures Game.
“He’s a baseball rat, his dad was a great player in Cuba,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said on July 7. “He’s a smart player, sweet, lovable guy. He’s going to play this game for a long time.”
Vargas ‘growing into the total package’
Vargas was the Dodgers’ Branch Rickey Minor League Player of the Year in 2021 and he has continued to make strides this season. In 94 games for Triple-A Oklahoma City before the call up, he hit a stellar .291/.382/.497 with 24 doubles, 15 home runs and 72 RBI across 437 plate appearances.
Dodgers director of player development Will Rhymes has been impressed with Vargas’ development and his consistency at the plate. Rhymes also believes the 22-year-old is evolving into a complete player.
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