Miguel Vargas endured a difficult rookie season with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023 and wound up finishing the year with Triple-A Oklahoma City after being optioned following multiple months of struggling.

The Dodgers put a lot of stock in Vargas last spring, as he was annointed as the starting second baseman, despite that representing a position change. Vargas dealt with multiple hand injuries and hit.195/.305/.367 with seven home runs and an 85 wRC+ prior to getting demoted to OKC.

After reporting to spring training with yet another new position, Vargas said the offseason suited him well and admitted to struggling with confidence as a rookie last year, per Juan Toribio of MLB.com:

“I had an incredible offseason,” Vargas said in Spanish. “I talked to my dad and brother a lot about failing. They helped me understand that things happen. Playing in the Majors last season was a different world for me. I think I lost confidence in myself, and I just need to keep believing in myself.”

A once highly-touted prospect, Vargas took a clear step back in what made him one of the organization’s best offensive farmhands. He acknowledged those miscues and how they made him lose sight of what put him in such high regard:

“I wasn’t having the results that I wanted, and I lost sight of what has made me good in the past, which is just enjoying the game I love,” Vargas said. “I was thinking of other things.”

Once demoted to Oklahoma City, Vargas saw an uptick in performance. In his final month of the season, he posted a 120 wRC+ with a .900 on-base plus slugging percentage.

Vargas has one of the franchise’s top eye’s for the strike zone, which evaporated when his hit tools vanished after long patches of lackluster play.

Miguel Vargas has opportunity as left fielder

Following his rough rookie debut, Vargas reported to Camelback Ranch as a left fielder.

His 2023 season did him no favors when attempting to grab hold of the starting second base job, dealing with a few injuries that snowballed. Still an athletic prospect, Vargas has an upside bat and should be able to play competent left field for the Dodgers when needed.

Vargas is likely to open the year in Triple-A, but looking ahead, he could have another avenue to making the big league roster.