Dodgers Test Dávalos at Second Base
The Dodgers are experimenting with outfield prospect Dávalos at second base after he was selected 41st overall in last year's draft.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Baseball
After the season ended, the Dodgers asked outfield prospect Dávalos to try second base, and he was deployed there in the Arizona Fall League. The change could also affect the future of Kim Hye-seong, whose guaranteed contract runs through next season.
Why it matters
The Dodgers' outfield prospects are overflowing, prompting the position test for Dávalos. If the transition succeeds, the team may decline Kim Hye-seong's club option.
Dávalos posted a .937 OPS across 115 High Single-A games this year and a .881 OPS in the postseason at Double-A Tulsa. His second-base experience is limited to the Arizona Fall League, so his defensive results there remain untested over a full season.
The players
Dávalos
Dodgers outfield prospect selected 41st overall in the first round of last year's draft, now being tested at second base.
Kim Hye-seong
South Korean infielder signed by the Dodgers in January last year, whose guaranteed contract runs through next season and whose 2028 and 2029 club options are at issue.
Miguel Rojas
Veteran infielder who flew to Arizona to mentor Dávalos during his second-base trial in the Arizona Fall League.
The details
Miguel Rojas flew to Arizona to mentor Dávalos during the Arizona Fall League. The Dodgers received minor league outfield prospect Mike Sirianni and a Competitive Balance Round A draft pick when they traded Gavin Lux to the Cincinnati Reds after signing Kim Hye-seong in January last year.
Timeline
January 2025: Dodgers signed Kim Hye-seong and traded Gavin Lux to the Cincinnati Reds.
2026 draft: Dodgers selected Dávalos 41st overall in the first round.
2026 season: Dávalos played 115 games at High Single-A Great Lakes.
2026 Arizona Fall League: Dávalos was deployed as a second baseman.
November 1, 2026: MLB.com projected the 2027 opening roster without Kim Hye-seong.
Season Trajectory
The Dodgers' January 2025 signing of Kim Hye-seong and trade of Gavin Lux to the Cincinnati Reds set up the current infield picture. Dávalos' possible move to second base could extend that reshuffle into the 2027 roster, where MLB.com has projected Tommy Edman as opening-day second baseman.
If Dávalos' second-base trial succeeds, the Dodgers' infield depth chart could change for 2027, affecting fantasy projections for Kim Hye-seong and Tommy Edman. Fans tracking the roster should watch Kim Hye-seong's option decisions, since they are tied to how the second-base experiment develops.
The takeaway
Position changes for prospects often reveal how a team plans to fill future gaps before any official roster announcement. Watching how Dávalos performs defensively at second base will show whether the Dodgers' infield plans are taking shape.
Further reading
For more on the team's roster moves, see Baseball coverage across the league.
Source note: This article includes information reported by 조선일보.
