Once the name Leo De Vries was mentioned, Athletics GM David Forst took the conversation seriously.
As the trade deadline approached, Forst was in discussion with the Padres about a potential trade that would send flame-throwing closer Mason Miller to San Diego. The Padres were willing to give up De Vries, their top prospect.
“He is an incredibly special talent,” Forst told the media after the deadline. “Guys who are ranked and thought of this highly are very infrequently available at the deadline or any other time.’
De Vries is a toolsy, 18-year-old Dominican shortstop with an advanced approach from both sides of the plate. He has power and possesses advanced discipline for his age, taking walks with strong pitch recognition.
The A’s front office said he checks a lot of boxes on both sides of the ball.
De Vries batted .245/.357/.410 with eight home runs and eight stolen bases in 82 games for High-A Fort Wayne prior to the trade. He was the youngest position player at High-A during the first half.
De Vries belted two homers, two doubles and three triples in his first 15 games for High-A Lansing following the trade.
Lansing hitting coach Ruben Escalera complimented De Vries’ defensive game with his plus arm, range and smooth hands.
“He plays quietly,” Escalera said via Lansing broadcaster Jesse Goldberg-Strassler. “It’s not a lot of flashy—he can flash, but it’s a secure glove. He knows who’s running, he can charge the ball—he really has range everywhere.”
On the hitting side, the observation wasn’t much different.
“He’s a talent hitting by both hands, and I think righty he knows he has to work on it a little bit,” Escalera said. “His hands have been dropping a little bit, but he’s working on that and he’s starting to get more contact with the right side.
“His left side is more pure, but he’s showing power on both sides . . . lately he’s starting to get more patience at the plate.”
Now that De Vries plays for Lansing, Escalera is able to see how much he likes to work with a “very professional routine.”
When asked when he expects to see De Vries put on a big league uniform, Escalera provided an ETA of 2027.
While De Vries has plus tools and an advanced approach, Forst said they’ll be observing how he reacts to the speed of the game and taking time to learn that aspect.
Forst said there’s no timetable for De Vries, so any main spots on the big league roster aren’t in question. It’s not something they have to worry about right now with shortstop manned by rookie all-star Jacob Wilson.
“In the meantime, it’s the most important position on the diamond, and it’s nice to have a lot of depth there,” Forst said.