Dave Roberts Reacts to Ex-Top Prospect Breaking Out After Trade From Dodgers

He's thriving with his new team.

Jun 14, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas (20) gestures after hitting a single as Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) stands nearby during the sixth inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Dodgers are known for their success in many areas of the game, but player development is one that has consistently been at the top of MLB for the better part of the last two decades.

Future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw, catcher-turned-reliever Kenley Jansen (who is the franchise saves leader), Cody Bellinger, Will Smith, Corey Seager, Andy Pages and plenty of other All-Stars were drafted by the Dodgers and developed through the farm system.

A name that did not generate as much success in a Dodgers uniform is Miguel Vargas.

Since leaving the Dodgers, however, he's now broken out.

Manager Dave Roberts was asked about his former infielder and his newfound success as a member of the Chicago White Sox, and had nothing but praise for him.

“He’s thriving. And with young players it takes time,” Roberts said recently. “Miggy’s a baseball player, always had the ability to hit, the defense has gotten a lot better, he’s in good shape. I’m very happy for Vargy.”

The 26-year-old infielder was signed as an international free agent by the Dodgers back in 2017 and was showing signs of one day being an everyday infielder in the big leagues. He was hitting over .300 at each level of the farm system before a monster 2022 in Triple-A.

In 2022, he hit 17 home runs with a slash line of .304/.404/.511 and an OPS of .915 before his promotion, but after just 18 games in the majors towards the end of the season, he was hitting just .170 with one home run and 13 strikeouts.

The next season wasn't much better, hitting just .195 before being sent back down to the minors. And in 2024, he hit .239 in his first 30 games in a Dodgers uniform before being traded to the White Sox. In 42 appearances in the South Side, he batted .104 with a .387 OPS.

The infielder started to find his rhythm last season with a .234/.316/.401 slash line, but 2026 has been a major leap for Vargas.

Overall, he is hitting .240/.360/.477 with an OPS of .860. He's developing into a true star in a young White Sox lineup.

A lot of his success can be tied to his decisions at the plate and a chase percentage (how often he goes for pitches outside the zone) of just 19.9%, good for the 95th percentile in MLB. He is also drawing more walks, doing so 14.3% of the time which puts him in the 93rd percentile in baseball (and up from finishing in the 70th percentile last season).

As Roberts noted, a young player like Vargas simply needed more time to develop. That doesn't mean the Dodgers made a mistake trading him, as they acquired Tommy Edman and Michael Kopech, two key players in their 2024 World Series championship.

It's safe to say that the Dodgers have seen a great deal of success since the 2024 trade deadline, and perhaps Vargas will continue his success as well.

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