Padres Sign Leodalis De Vries: The Top International Prospect
This offseason has been quite the rollercoaster. There’s been sudden drops, dips, twists and turns. Nevertheless, dare we say, it feels as though things are beginning to tilt up. San Diego GM, AJ Preller, has made very smart, reasonable moves with a limited budget; which has not only benefited the Padres farm system; but strengthened the team’s pitching situation in an extremely expensive market. Nevertheless, some more help is coming down the pipeline as the Padres sign Leodalis De Vries; who just so happens to be the number one international prospect.
Great news for the franchise. Even better news for fans. The kid is projecting to have a very strong, high ceiling in terms of skill and ability.
Moreover, this is not the first time, a top international prospect has eagerly wanted to join the ball club. Catcher, Ethan Salas, also could not wait to add himself to the Padres mix. A lefty bat with one heck of a swing, that can still grow into more power. Salas spoke to the media after his signing with the Padres last year; the San Diego Tribune recounts Salas stating,
“Who doesn’t want to be a Padre in these times? Such exciting times. The team is so fun, exciting city, beautiful city. Who doesn’t want to be a Padre right now? It’s a special place.”
Moreover, Leodalis De Vries is now echoing Ethan Salas’ sentiments. Leodalis tells the press; as reported by San Diego’s 97.3,
“I’ve always been a fan of the team, and I’m really excited to be a part of it.”
Leodalis also likes several of guys who are and have been apart of the franchise. De Vries continues,
“I’m a big fan of the team. A lot of the players, they obviously have a lot of Latin star power with Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, (Jurickson) Profar recently. Because of those guys and because of those reasons, I’ve always been a fan of the team.”
Therefore, San Diego now possesses a group of young athletes who are hungry, dedicated and passionate about being a Padre. Which is a fine recipe for future success. And now De Vries is also joining the team as another effective aspect to the Padres’ future plans and formula.
The Signing Details
Nonetheless, San Diego acquiring the top international prospect is now becoming a habit. This is the consecutive year it has occurred. Baseball America reports on this occurrence and more, as they state,
“The Padres signed the top international prospect for the second consecutive year, agreeing to a $4.2 million bonus with 17-year-old shortstop Leodalis De Vries at the start of the 2024 signing period.
De Vries signed the second-highest bonus of the class, according to Baseball America’s bonus board. He is considered the top prospect based on pure talent.”
The Padres organization agrees with Baseball America’s assessment. Padres Scouting director Chris Kemp says this of Leodalis:
“He loves to hit. You watch Leo train, he’s always facing live pitching. This guy will get 30-40 at bats a day. He’s very advanced from the left-hand side and the right-hand side. …His instincts at shortstop, that’s where you really see the leadership and taking control of the field. He could play anywhere in the infield, but he’ll definitely go out to shortstop and see how long he can stick there.”
So then, it’s clear, the youth is an excellent signing. Nevertheless, Leodalis wants San Diego to be just as thrilled about having him in the Padres system. Upon signing, De Vries releases a hype video via Instagram.
The vid shows him growing up, enhancing his skill set. Becoming more and more dominant… then BOOM. Signing with the Padres. One word: Legit.
Padres Sign Leodalis De Vries: The Top International Prospect
Nevertheless, what can the Padres franchise and their fandom expect from De Vries? Well, Ben Badler of Baseball America, believes both parties are going to be extremely happy. Regarding Leodalis, Badler reports:
On pure talent, De Vries is the best international prospect in this class. With a bonus that should exceed $4 million, De Vries is a polished hitter for 17, with significant game experience and a knack for consistently getting on base.
He uses his hands well at the plate with a compact, adjustable swing that has good path through the hitting zone and enables him to cover the plate well with a low swing-and-miss rate. It’s a mature offensive approach for his age, comfort using the opposite field with backspin or turning on pitches on the inner third. It’s a good mix of high contact and impact, with De Vries showing the bat speed and loft to drive the ball out of the park in games with potential above-average power.
Some scouts think De Vries could end up at second or third base, with the offensive upside to develop into an impact player at those spots as well, but he should continue to develop at shortstop and has the athleticism that could allow him to stick there long term.”
However, with an above average glove, arm and at 6’2”, his abilities allow flexibility to play anywhere in the field necessary. He’s also got good speed with 4.2 seconds timing from home to first base and 6.7 second time in the 60 yard dash, he’s got the ability to affect games on the base paths as well as at the plate and on defense.
San Diego Padres Sign Top International Prospect
That’s a very solid report. Leodalis may not rise as fast in the minor league ranks as Salas; but he will still be very impactful when he is finally ready for The Show. The 17 year old ranks first on Fangraphs and MLB Pipeline’s International Prospects Rankings. Therefore, it’s safe to say the kid is on everyone’s radar.
Regarding De Vries and his family’s athletic history, Major League Baseball reveals,
“The switch-hitter is from Bani, Dominican Republic, and possesses a projectable frame equipped with bat speed and advanced discipline from both sides of the plate. His speed and body control allow him to impact the game both defensively and on the basepaths. De Vries, also a point guard on the basketball court, comes from a skilled athletic background and pedigree, as his father played basketball for the Dominican National team.”
What’s next for De Vries? Nobody can say for sure as the Padres are known for aggressively challenging their top prospects but Jeff Sanders from SDUT states he’s expected to start at the Padres Dominican Academy and then get some time at spring training in Arizona before likely starting his first professional games in rookie ball in Arizona or possibly even low Single-A Lake Elsinore.
Furthermore, the Padres took to social media to announce the signing and revealing a nickname for Leodalis. The ball club says,
“They call him El Mutante. We have opened the 2024 International Signing Period with the signing of infielder Leodalis De Vries.”
El Mutante in English means “Mutant.” So think X-Men… group of kick butt individuals who are powerful due to mutations to their genetics. If De Vries is bringing some “Mystique” to the “Storm.” With a mix of Charles Xavier, Wolverine and Magneto… uhm, we’re confident Padres fans are thinking… heck yeah, let’s ride!
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