5 immediate replacements Dodgers can explore to address Gavin Lux injury

Jose Barrero

While we're on the topic of the Dodgers taking a flyer, there's exciting potential in Jose Barrero. The Cincinnati Reds middle infielder was a top-50 prospect before the 2022 season but has struggled at the big-league level and is not projected to start.

Four of the Reds' top five prospects in the farm system can play the middle infield (and that's not including third baseman Cam Collier). If the Reds are going to trade from any part of the depth chart, it's the middle infield.

Thus, the Reds could try and get whatever value they can out of Barrero while the Dodgers can try to unlock the promising tools he showcased as an international signing.

Michael Busch

Realistically, this is probably the route the Dodgers take this season. Michael Busch is not a shortstop and is not going to fill in at shortstop directly, but making him a more serious part of the infield depth in 2023 is going to add more shortstop depth.

Having Buch to play second base (and even some left field) will allow the Dodgers to give Rojas and Chris Taylor the full-time duties at shortstop. They replace Lux's left-handed bat with Busch and there's a real chance Busch is better than any of the options above.

MLB Pipeline ranks Busch as the Dodgers' fourth-best prospect (42nd overall) as he tore the cover off the ball in 2022. Busch slashed .274/.365/.516 with 32 home runs and 108 RBI in 142 minor league games last season. This is a natural way to give him more playing time in 2023 to ultimately see what he has at the big-league level.

If the Dodgers don't believe in Busch then they'll obviously seek outside help. But if they do, they'll give him a bigger role than expected in 2023 and reassess at the deadline.