Position: 1B
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 215 lbs
Bats/Throws: L/R
Born: 06/29/1998
Country: Dominican Republic
Signed: International Free Agent, 2017 (Dodgers)
How Acquired: Minor League Free Agent
Bonus: N/A
40-man Roster: No
Rule 5 Eligible: Yes
Minor League Free Agency: 2025
Options Left: 3
Overview
Originally signed by the Dodgers, Vargas is a big, left-handed hitter who’s been something of a “three true outcomes” hitter in the minors. According to Baseball America, he puts up impressive exit velocities and doesn’t chase outside the strike zone often, but does swing and miss on pitches in the zone a lot. He’s put up good power numbers in the minors, but he’s consistently been old for the levels he’s played at. LHPs have been a big problem for him, especially in more recent seasons. He didn’t reach full-season ball until the year he turned 23, although that was partly due to the canceled 2020 season. Vargas has played some in the outfield corners, but he’s been primarily a first baseman in the minors and doesn’t run well. The Pirates signed him to a minor league deal for 2024.
2017-20
Vargas spent three years in rookie ball, the first two in the Dominican Summer League. He had high walk rates both years, and hit for good power in 2018, finishing with an .814 OPS. He split 2019 between rookie and advanced rookie ball, mostly the former, and overall had a line of 286/396/554. He did have a 29% K rate. Vargas didn’t play in 2020.
2021-23
The Dodgers moved Vargas through the class A and AA levels one level at a time for three years. In low A in 2021, he hit 17 home runs in just 72 games, with an .850 OPS. In high A in 2022, it was 18 home runs and an .872 OPS, thanks to a very high walk rate of 17%, but he also had a K rate of 31%. In 2023, in AA, Vargas hit 22 home runs and had an OPS of .821, but his K rate climbed to 33%. He became a free agent after the season.
2024
Vargas’ situation in 2024 was a little puzzling. In fall 2023, BA included him in a list of five interesting minor league free agent hitters, suggesting he might be worth a shot in the majors. Instead, he received no offers during the off-season and signed to play in independent ball. At the beginning of May, though, the Angels signed him, but they sent him to low A, where he spent the season, half of it at age 26. He put up an .828 OPS with 31 doubles and 14 home runs, but for a player with his experience at that level, that’s not so impressive.
Vargas became a free agent again after the 2024 season and the Pirates signed him to a minor league deal.
Stats
Transactions
July 2, 2017: Signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as an international free agent.
November 26, 2023: Became a free agent.
May 1, 2024: Signed by the Los Angeles Angels as a minor league free agent.
November 4, 2024: Became a free agent.
November 19, 2024: Signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as a minor league free agent.