4: 04 PM UTC
The Padres salvage added a top prospect to their system, finalizing a multimillion dollar take care of Leodalis De Vries, MLB.com’s No. 1 global prospect, upon Monday’s opening of the 2024 signing duration.
It marks the 2d One year in a row that the Padres salvage signed MLB.com’s top global prospect, after they landed Ethan Salas final January.
“Or no longer it’s a in actuality special day for me,” De Vries talked about by technique of an interpreter in a Monday morning conference call. “Especially with this being my favourite crew. It positively makes it a a technique of day all around for me and my household.”
Padres scouting director Chris Kemp principal that De Vries would employ the next couple of weeks practicing in his native Dominican Republic on the Padres’ academy. Nevertheless Kemp added that it’s that you just are going to be ready to maintain of the 17-One year-used De Vries could additionally be a part of the crew at Minor League Spring Coaching in March. From there, a brief development would appear to be on the desk.
That could additionally goal composed attain as no surprise after the Padres moved Salas so quickly final season — and even gave him time on the support of the plate throughout a well-known league Spring Coaching sport.
“Abruptly after we saw him, we knew it turned into a a technique of skill,” Kemp talked about of De Vries. “We felt more than happy that this turned into a a technique of effort. So as so that you just can add him with Ethan Salas, we’re very proud of our complete scouting team.”
The 17-One year-used De Vries has evolved hitting ability with the functionality to faucet into energy from each facet. His unfastened natural rhythm could additionally abolish into 20-homer energy, in accordance with some evaluators. He takes his walks and displays plus pitch recognition, an evolved ability for his age.
“He loves to hit,” Kemp talked about. “You see Leo practice, he’s constantly facing live pitching. This man will find 30-40 at-bats a day. He is very evolved from the left-hand facet and the shining-hand facet. … His instincts at shortstop, that’s where you in actuality see the management and taking abet watch over of the field. He could additionally play any place within the infield. Nevertheless he’ll positively traipse out to shortstop and dilemma how lengthy he can stick there.”
The Padres misplaced $1 million from their signing pool after inking shortstop Xander Bogaerts, who rejected a qualifying provide from the Purple Sox in 2022. It left them with a nefarious signing pool of $4,652,200.
“After we signed Xander, clearly we misplaced some money internationally,” Kemp talked about. “Nevertheless that by no intention in actuality affected Leo. There had been some things in our class, whether we needed to regulate or commerce our focal level. … Nevertheless Leo turned into constantly our No. 1 man. So that that you just must signal Xander and composed find Leo — it turned into positively a enormous remove for the org.”
De Vries’ reference to the Padres is a natural one, as he cited Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr. and the crew’s “Latin vital person energy” as the motive they’ve been his favourite crew and his most well-most approved shuttle dilemma.
A tender defender at shortstop, De Vries has the intangibles to stick on the remark lengthy time frame. On the opposite hand, with an above-common glove and arm and his 6-foot-2 body, De Vries’ skill and work ethic could additionally enable him to play any infield remark as he continues to abolish physically.
With recorded times of 4.2 seconds from house to first nefarious and 6.7 seconds in a 60-yard speed, his plus running grade could additionally goal composed enable him to impact the game both on the basepaths — especially with the sizzling lengthen in stolen bases — and as a defender within the dust. Kemp additionally raved about De Vries’ make-up and natural management talents.
“I maintain I’m a waddle-setter above all,” De Vries talked about. “I maintain I’m in a position to abet my teammates and, most importantly, abet the metropolis of San Diego remove a World Series.”
De Vries trains within the Dominican Republic with Lenny Pimentel, a member of MLB’s Trainer Partnership Program.
An global participant is eligible to signal with a Major League crew between Jan. 15 and Dec. 15. He must flip 16 sooner than he indicators and be 17 sooner than Sept. 1 the next One year.
Which intention gamers born between Sept. 1, 2006, and Aug. 31, 2007, will be eligible to signal within the present signing duration. Gamers want to be registered with Major League Baseball upfront to be eligible to signal.
