De Vries, a former top Padres prospect, ignites the A's, hitting two homers and driving in six against the Dodgers. Padres fans already feel the sting.
Regret is already creeping in for San Diego Padres fans after seeing their former top prospect continue his red-hot spring training for another club.
Shortstop Leo De Vries, the No. 4 prospect in all of baseball, has been stirring up tons of excitement for fans of the Athletics, as it’s been their first real chance at seeing their top prospect in action. Against the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday, De Vries hit two home runs and brought in six runs in an 11-7 win for the Athletics.
Though he’s making a name for himself in an Athletics uniform now, he was formerly the crown jewel of the Padres’ farm system. Signing with San Diego out of the Dominican Republic as the No. 1 international prospect in 2024, De Vries looked to be the shortstop of the future for the Friars.
With an aging core that includes infielders Xander Bogaerts and Manny Machado, the Padres seemed to have a seamless transition in hand when the time was right. That time never came, however, as general manager A.J. Preller shipped De Vries to the Athletics at last year’s trade deadline.
De Vries headlined the package that headed to the A’s, while the Padres acquired closing pitcher Mason Miller and left-hander JP Sears in return as they looked to make a deep postseason push. The Padres ultimately ended up losing in the Wild Card round.
Miller was great in a Padres uniform, allowing just two runs in 23 ⅓ innings at the end of the year. Still, his name was already tossed around in trade rumors this offseason after the early postseason exit. He remained in San Diego, however, and he has continued his form into spring, striking out five batters and allowing zero runs in his three innings.
While Miller’s arm in San Diego has been electric, many believe the trade was never a smart idea in the first place. Trading a top infield prospect in baseball for a closer was a risky move, and, as evidenced by Miller’s clear position as expendable this past offseason, the Padres seem to know they may have been too eager to pull the trigger.
San Diego may be in the mindset of regret, but De Vries is shining with the Athletics. He recorded a .910 OPS with the A’s Double-A affiliate last season and has picked up right where he left off. This spring, he’s recorded a slash line of .385/.429/.615 with a 1.044 OPS. With an open path to a rising Athletics team at just 19 years old, De Vries is on track to make his major league debut in 2026. Unfortunately, it just won't be in a Padres uniform.