FORT WAYNE — It isn’t often that a minor league baseball town has the opportunity to watch the birth and development of a bona fide future big league star.

Fort Wayne TinCaps fans had just that chance in 2023 when future San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill came through the Fort.

Then a shortstop, Merrill was converted to an outfielder during Spring Training 2024. He made the Padres roster, becoming the latest 260 To The Show guy.

Now a scant two years later, the cycle is repeating with Dominican infielder Leo DeVries.

DeVries is well on his way to being the Padres’ shortstop of the future. He’s already supplanted catcher Ethan Salas as the Friars’ No. 1 prospect, especially with Salas battling the injury bug and currently on the injured list.

DeVries is also the No. 3 prospect in Major League Baseball. He was tabbed to play in the Futures Game — the exact path Merrill took to “The Show” two years ago.

DeVries went 0-for-1 with a pinch-running appearance in Saturday’s game won by the NL future stars, 4-2.

In a brief availability with Fort Wayne area media last Thursday afternoon before departing for the ATL, DeVries showed the confidence and maturity that makes you forget he’s barely 18.

“I’m very excited,” DeVries said of the chance to play in the Futures Game. “This is a game I’ve been watching since I was a kid.”

DeVries knows expectations are high — but if he feels any undue pressure to get to Petco Park soon, he’s not showing it.

Neither are the Padres, for their part. There’s a process, and both the Friars and their hot young prospect seem more than willing to trust it.

Merrill played his way onto the Padres roster in spring 2024 and should have been the Rookie of the Year.

DeVries did well in the Low-Class A California League for Lake Elsinore a year ago, batting .237 with 11 homers and 38 runs batted in. He stole 13 bases and had an .803 OPS in 299 at-bats.

This year for Fort Wayne, he’s hitting for a higher average in the more advanced Midwest League at .248 with six homers and 40 RBIs with at least six weeks left in the 2025 season. He’s striking out a bit much with 64 Ks in 71 games, but that means he’s being aggressive at the plate. Patience will come.

With Xander Bogaerts massively underachieving at the shortstop position in San Diego — basically a $280 million bust the Padres are stuck with through 2033 — there’s going to be a tendency to want to rush DeVries to the majors.

Thankfully, Padres management seems to be disinclined to hear the prayers of the Friar Faithful on this one.

Let the kid cook for now.

Oh, and get out to Parkview Field and see this kid while you can, folks. He’s the real deal and he’s not going to be here much longer. Whether he finishes 2025 in the 260 is anybody’s guess at this point.

Contact KPC Media sports reporter, long-suffering Padre fan and San Diego native David Vantress at dvantress@kpcmedia.com. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @journodave1984.