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2016 MLB Draft: Dodgers select high school SS Gavin Lux with 1st-round pick

Photo credit: Tom Kernfield

The Dodgers with their first pick in the 2016 MLB Draft took shortstop Gavin Lux out of Indian Trail High School & Academy in Kenosha, Wisconsin with their first-round pick, No. 20 overall.

The 6'2, 175-pound Lux bats left-handed and is committed to play college ball at Arizona State.

"We’re really excited that we were able to select Gavin," said Dodger director of amateur scouting Billy Gasparino. "We think he’s a bright young man with a lot of ability and comes from a baseball family. He is a pure shortstop that can run, hit, and hit with power from the left side."

This is just the second time in the last 14 years the Dodgers have taken a position player with their first overall pick, joining shortstop Corey Seager in 2012

Lux was ranked as the 34th-best draft prospect by our own David Hood, was No. 33 on the Baseball America Top 500, and ranked 36 on the MLB Pipeline top 200 draft prospects.

Baseball America said, "Lux impresses because he's one of the few high school shortstops in the draft class with a solid chance to remain at the position."

"He has a line drive bat with sneaky power. His strike zone judgment is considered sound and the improved strength has boosted his power potential," wrote John Sickels at Minor League Ball. "While he'll never be a masher, he should be an effective line-drive hitter with very good on-base skills and enough speed to be a danger on the bases."

The No. 20 overall pick has an allotted slot value of $2,316,300.

"I think if the opportunity is there, I definitely want to play professional baseball, but if it's not there, I have a great university to go to," Gavin told Elise Menaker of WTMJ in Milwaukee. "I definitely I want to play college or professional baseball. I mean that's always been my dream to do."

Lux was scouted by Dodgers area scout Trey Magnuson.

Twitter: @TheRealGavinLux