Padres' 18-Year-Old Prospect Is Turning Heads at a National Level
San Diego Padres president of baseball operations and general manager A.J. Preller has built his team into a World Series contender in recent years.
And although the Padres' farm system ranked 25th in the MLB in March, that's mostly because Preller has flipped a lot of his prospects for win-now veterans.
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Yes, the ability to identify young talent will always be paramount in a sport like baseball. Preller and his staff have shown that they can do that, and their current No. 1 prospect is living up to the hype so far in 2025.
San Diego Padres general manager A.J. Preller (right) and manager Mike Shildt (left) chat before Opening Day at Petco Park.Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
During a leaguewide article on April 30, MLB Pipeline writers Jim Callis, Sam Dykstra and Jonathan Mayo highlighted the "hottest hitting prospect" from each MLB organization. Their Padres choice was easy, as they selected San Diego's top-rated minor leaguer, shortstop Leo De Vries.
"The 18-year-old was the youngest player on a High-A Opening Day roster in 2025, but he sure isn't playing like it," the MLB Pipeline team wrote.
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Continuing: "A five-hit, two-homer cycle on April 22 was his biggest highlight of the season so far for Fort Wayne, but he hasn't stopped there, going 3-for-3 with a homer and a double Tuesday [April 29]. De Vries leads the Midwest League with a .609 slugging percentage over 18 games and ranks second with a .968 OPS, despite being more than four years younger than the average hitter on the circuit."
De Vries' national recognition didn't end there, as the MLB's official X account shouted him out for a ridiculous defensive play on May 2.
As noted above, De Vries is the No. 1-ranked prospect within the Padres' farm system, but he's also ranked No. 16 for the entire MLB.
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Per his MLB.com bio, De Vries is a switch-hitter who flaunts an "exquisite knowledge of the [strike] zone."
His high expectations aren't anything new, as the native of the Dominican Republic was 2024's "No. 1-ranked talent" on the international market.
Related: Long-Time Red Sox Starter Turning Heads With New Team: 'Breakout Ace'
Related: Padres Send Direct Message on Struggling $191 Million Veteran
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