Dodgers’ Miguel Vargas finding ways to nurture his talent amid swingless spring

In all his baseball life, Miguel Vargas had never done anything like this.

In every one of his Cactus League at-bats so far this spring, the Dodgers rookie second baseman has walked to the plate, taken his upright stance, and swiveled his bat while waiting for a pitch.

At no point, however, has Vargas taken a swing, not in any games at least.

“It’s so weird,” the 23-year-old said with a self-deprecating laugh this past weekend. “I feel so uncomfortable at the plate.”

There’s a reason behind the apparent springtime madness. During the first week of camp, Vargas suffered a hairline fracture in his right pinkie while taking a grounder.

It wasn’t a serious injury. No surgery or even a cast was required. His defense has been unaffected, which is why the soon-to-be starting big league infielder has still played in exhibitions.

But out of an abundance of caution, the Dodgers barred Vargas from swinging in any of those live at-bats.

“It’s part of what I have to do,” Vargas said. “And whenever I’ll be able, I’ll be ready to swing.”

The Dodgers are hoping that day will be soon. According to manager Dave Roberts, the team is targeting Wednesday’s game to clear Vargas for his first real swings of spring.

For a highly touted prospect known primarily for his bat, it’s been a strange experience.

The longer it’s gone on, though, the more the situation has yielded some unexpected silver linings.

“He understands the process,” Roberts said. “And I just think the value we’ve had to get him out there, get his legs under him and play some defense has been real beneficial.”

Miguel Vargas of the Dodgers runs to third base during a spring training game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on March 2 in Phoenix.

(Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press)

The most notable outcome: Vargas has still regularly gotten on base in the last couple of weeks.

Four times in his 10 plate appearances, opposing pitchers have walked Vargas — either unaware of his limitations or more focused on their own mechanics and delivery to care.

Zack Greinke was an exception Saturday night, throwing Vargas a 59-mph curveball knowing that he wouldn’t offer at it.

Other than that, Vargas has made a comical habit of taking four balls and waking to first base.

“They probably don’t know,” Vargas, who walked only twice in 50 big league plate appearances during his debut season last year, said jokingly. “If they knew, they’d probably use three pitches.”

It has also come with an underlying benefit, allowing Vargas to track a slew of pitches as he prepares for what should be his first full MLB campaign.

“He’s seen so many pitches at the plate,” Roberts said. “I think that has a way of helping too.”

Vargas’ reduced time in the batting cage has been constructively reallocated, as well.

Since his throws are unimpeded by his injured pinkie, Vargas has not only been able to continue defensive drills, but has also upped his time fielding grounders around the infield. It’s a potential key development for a player whose defense is a major question at second base, a position at which the Dodgers have little depth in the wake of Gavin Lux’s season-ending knee injury.

Finding a defensive fit for Vargas has been a challenge for the Dodgers throughout his minor league career. He primarily played third base while in their farm system, and last year experimented in left field, as well.

It’s at second where Vargas feels most comfortable.

So far in camp, during games and backfield drills, he’s been susceptible to numerous misplays, from booted grounders to errant throws.

“It’s part of the experience,” Roberts said. “But as long as the intent, the way he’s preparing [doesn’t change] — there’s going to be some growing pains. That goes without saying.”

Miguel Vargas has impressed Dodgers manager Dave Roberts despite having an abnormal spring-training stint this year.

(Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press)

Roberts thinks Vargas has the athletic tools to succeed at second, and that he just needs to polish his fundamentals, from playing lower to the dirt to drilling a more consistent arm motion with his throws to first base.

“There’s been some really spectacular plays,” Roberts said, referencing a couple of diving efforts from Vargas in his early spring games. “And then there’s been a couple plays that I think he could have made. So I think, at this point, that’s what we would have expected. But our expectation is, he’s expecting to improve each day.”

With his broken pinkie keeping his daily schedule free, Vargas has often been one of the last players to leave the backfields at Camelback Ranch each afternoon. Usually, that extra work has come under the guidance of infield coaches Dino Ebel and Chris Woodward, and alongside such veterans as Miguel Rojas and Mookie Betts.

“I have a lot of people involved in the process,” Vargas said. “They’ve helped me a lot.”

The fruits of that labor might already be showing.

During one recent extended session with Betts, Vargas fielded almost every grounder cleanly, zipped accurate throws across the diamond from either side of second base, and looked more consistent with his body positioning and footwork.

When it ended, following a smooth double play Vargas started with an underhand flip to Betts at second, Roberts ran out to greet the rookie, shouting and clapping as though the Dodgers had just won a regular-season game.

“That was great!” the manager said.

Still, it won’t feel like a normal spring until Vargas can start taking hacks again during games.

As much as he’s embraced the experiment — “At least I have excuses now when I strike out,” he said jokingly Saturday — he’s itching to get back to his usual routine at the plate.

“I’m just excited to swing,” he said.

When asked what he’s learned from his no-swing limitations, Vargas offered some humor again.

“I mean, it told me if I don’t swing at the ball, I’ll probably be at first 50% of the time,” he said with a laugh.

But when it was suggested his on-base-percentage might dip when he resumes swinging, the self-assured second baseman quickly countered — hinting at hopes his atypical spring will ultimately help round out his game.

“Maybe not,” he said. “It could go up.”