Scouting Report

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 50 | Run: 50 | Arm: 60 | Field: 55 | Overall: 55

Vargas is literally one of the tallest international prospects in the class, and his five-tool potential might be even bigger.

At 6-foot-3, the long and lean teen will face questions about his ability to stay at shortstop, but he already shows a quick first step, good hands and plus instincts for the position. He’ll stay in the middle of the infield for as long as he can, but his plus arm potential will serve him well if he transitions to third base in the future.

At the plate, he shows an advanced approach with the ability to hit for average. One of the top hitters in the class, he hits line drives to all fields and shows home run potential with a mechanically sound swing. Vargas expected to show more raw power and rack up extra-base hits as he fills out his frame. Overall, there is lots of offensive upside, which is particularly valuable at such a premium position. He’s also been praised for his makeup and work ethic.

He trains with Raul “Banana” Valera in the Dominican Republic. The Dodgers are among the teams who have shown strong interest in him. Valera is a member of MLB’s Trainer Partnership Program.

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Arm: 60 | Field: 55 | Overall: 50

MLB Pipeline's third-ranked prospect in the 2023 international class, Vargas signed for $2,077,500 out of the Dominican Republic that January. He made a successful pro debut in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League, slashing .328/.423/.529 with seven homers and 19 steals in 48 contests. He also batted .310 with a pair of homers in seven playoff contests to lead the Dodgers Bautista squad to the championship.

A former switch-hitter who now bats solely right-handed, Vargas owns a quick, compact swing and a mature approach. He controls the strike zone exceptionally well for his age and focuses on making hard contact. Once he fills out his 6-foot-4 frame and learns to lift balls in the air more frequently, he could provide 25 or more homers per season.

Bigger than most shortstops, Vargas has good actions and range to both sides, giving him a chance to remain at the position. He's an average runner with good baserunning instincts, but he could lose a step as he matures physically. If he has to slide over to third base, he has the offensive profile and the plus arm to succeed there.

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Arm: 60 | Field: 55 | Overall: 45 

The Dodgers pull one of the top prospects out of nearly every international signing class, with Vargas the latest example. Ranked No. 3 in the 2023 crop by MLB Pipeline, he signed for $2,077,500 out of the Dominican Republic in January. He's just 17 years old and will need time to develop, but in a system loaded with shortstops, he has the highest ceiling of any of them. 

A former switch-hitter, Vargas now bats exclusively right-handed. He has a sound swing and an advanced approach, patiently stroking line drives to all fields. With his bat speed and the oodles of projectable strength in his 6-foot-4 frame, he could grow into 25-homer power while also producing high batting averages. 

Though he's bigger than most shortstops, Vargas has good actions, range to both sides, reliable hands and plus arm strength. He's one of the more polished hitters and defenders in his international class. An average runner who could lose some quickness as he matures physically, he'd profile well at third base if he had to move off shortstop. 

Awards

ACL Player of the Week

Week	Team
06/02/2024

MiLB.com Organization All-Star

Year	Team
2023

DSL Mid-Season All-Star

Year	Team
2023

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	05/04/2024	SS Joendry Vargas assigned to ACL Dodgers from DSL LAD Bautista.
	07/29/2023	DSL NL All-Stars activated SS Joendry Vargas.
	01/15/2023	SS Joendry Vargas assigned to DSL LAD Bautista.
	01/15/2023	Los Angeles Dodgers signed free agent SS Joendry Vargas to a minor league contract.