A’s promote Leo De Vries, key prospect in Mason Miller deal, to Double A

Less than a month after he was the centerpiece in the Athletics return from the San Diego Padres in the Mason Miller deal, 18-year-old shortstop Leo De Vries is on the move again, this time to a new level. De Vries will join Double-A Midland for the start of their series against Wichita on Tuesday. He will be the youngest player in the Texas League.

Despite the mid-season trade, this will be De Vries’ first time moving leagues this season. He began the year in the High-A Midwest League with the Fort Wayne TinCaps and remained in the Midwest League after the trade, joining the Lansing Lugnuts. De Vries got off to a slow start with his new organization, but finished his time in Lansing going 7-for-his-last-12, with a multi-homer game on Friday. Overall, De Vries hit .268/.338/.518 in 15 games with the Lugnuts. He was hitting .245/.357/.410 in 82 games with Fort Wayne at the time of the deal.

De Vries, who is a 6-foot-1 switch-hitter, began the year as the No. 31 prospect in Keith Law’s top-100 prospect ranking and was ranked No. 13 in his most recent rankings. Since signing with the Padres on Jan. 15, 2024, De Vries has consistently been the youngest player at each level he has played. In his pro debut season last year, De Vries hit .237/.361/.441 with 11 home runs in 75 games in the Low-A California League as a 17-year-old. He also played in the Arizona Fall League as the youngest player in that league, hitting .179 in 18 games.

“He’s a switch-hitter who’s clearly better from the left side, even though he hit for more power right-handed last year, with a strong left-handed swing that’s going to produce at least a ton of extra-base hits to the gaps,” Law wrote in his most recent rankings. “He’s a definite shortstop who might end up plus there, with a 60 arm and plenty of lateral range. He would have been a high school senior this spring had he grown up anywhere covered by the draft, and he’s already producing in High A; that alone would mark him as a potential star.”

De Vries will be more than five years younger than the average player in the Texas League when he debuts this week.

(Photo: Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)