When the Los Angeles Dodgers traded former first-rounder Gavin Lux to the Cincinnati Reds for outfield prospect Mike Sirota and a Competitive Balance Round A pick, fan reactions were decidedly mixed. Sure, after signing Hyeseong Kim, the Dodgers didn't really need Lux anymore – but how much value were they really getting in return?
Nine months later, the answer seems pretty clear: A lot.
Cincinnati bought low on Sirota in the third round of the 2024 MLB Draft, but now it's looking like the Dodgers may have acquired a legitimate first-round talent. Sirota has already garnered recognition on various Top MLB Propsects lists, including Jim Bowden's Top 50 in The Athletic (subscription required) and Jim Callis' 2025 All-Breakout Prospect Team in MLB Pipeline, and it's easy to see why.