2022 review: Jorbit Vivas

Nov 25, 2022 - 4:32 PM

Jorbit Vivas spent his first season on the Dodgers 40-man roster entirely at High-A Great Lakes, and was one of the Loons’ best players at age 21.

Vivas was in the same boat as Eddys Leonard, a fellow 21-year-old who was added to the 40-man roster in November 2021, spending a development year with no real shot at the majors, effectively leaving the Dodgers with a 38-man roster during the season.

None of that was the fault of Vivas, who thrived in his full season with Great Lakes, the same place he ended 2021. Vivas hit .269/.374/.401 with 10 home runs, 19 doubles, seven triples, and a 120 wRC+.

Vivas started 91 games at second base and 32 more at third base. Those are the only two positions he’s started at in four minor league seasons, though in 2021 he played three innings at shortstop and two inning in left field.

Vivas in 2022 finished in the top ten in the Midwest League in on-base percentage, total bases (192) hits (129), runs scored (73), triples (seven), and walks (63). That earned him Midwest League All-Star honors at second base after the season, as voted on by league managers and coaches.

He ended his season with a stop in the Arizona Fall League, going 9-for-27 (.333) with two doubles and six walks in seven games for Glendale.

The plate discipline with Vivas is what stood out, with more walks (63) than strikeouts (58). Among the 56 Dodgers minor leaguers with at least 200 plate appearances in 2022, only two other players had more walks than strikeouts. Both were in the Dominican Summer League — 19-year-old catcher Carlos Rojas, and 17-year-old outfielder Josue De Paula. Vivas was the only one to do so at a full-season affiliate.

Miguel Vargas was the only other Dodger from the top four affiliates even close to Vivas in this regard, with 71 walks and 76 strikeouts with Triple-A, which helped earn him a trip to the majors.

There are still a few more steps before Vivas will reach the majors, as he has yet to play in Double-A. But his 2021 was promising enough to keep an eye on Vivas going forward.

2022 particulars

Age: 21

Stats: .269/.374/.401, 120 wRC+ in High-A, 10 HR, 19 doubles, 7 triples

Salary: $57,200, the minimum minor league salary for first-timers on the 40-man roster

Game of the year

On August 3 on the road in Lake County (a Guardians affiliate), Vivas singled, tripled, and hit a grand slam in the Loons’ 14-4 rout.

That was one of six three-hit games on the season for Vivas, whose four RBI were a season high.

Roster status

Vivas has two option years remaining after using one in 2022, and has yet to be called to the majors.