MESA, Ariz. — The Athletics’ decision to trade star closer Mason Miller and pitcher JP Sears to the Padres in July hinged on one player: 19-year-old shortstop Leo De Vries, a top-five prospect in all of baseball.
De Vries, a switch-hitter from the Dominican Republic, has impressed during spring training, batting .357 through his first eight games. Acquired along with three pitching prospects, he is considered a generational talent with above-average power and defensive skills that could make him a perennial All-Star.
“I was really surprised about the trade,” De Vries said in Spanish. “But it’s the decision they made, and there was nothing I could do about it. I can’t control any of that. It was a little emotional, but that’s baseball. It’s a business. Some days you’re here, and some days you’re not.”
De Vries spent last season at High-A Lansing before moving up to Double-A Midland, where he hit .281 in 21 games and helped the RockHounds reach the Texas League championship series. The A’s are evaluating whether he will start 2026 at Double-A or Triple-A Las Vegas.
“I’m just trying to get my eyes on him and am going to watch his instincts,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “He’ll see what it takes to be a big leaguer. It’s all there for him. It’s just about the maturation process.”
The A’s have a young core that includes shortstop Jacob Wilson, who recently signed a seven-year, $70 million contract extension. De Vries could eventually shift to second base to accommodate both players up the middle.
Las Vegas Aviators manager Fran Riordan, who is observing De Vries daily in camp, praised the teenager’s advanced feel for the game. “He is advanced beyond his years,” Riordan said. “To think watching him play and work that he’s a 19-year-old kid. That’s a huge compliment. He carries himself really well, and his swing from both sides is really developed for his age.”
De Vries said he is focused on getting to know the organization and improving all his skills. “I just want to get better at all my skills,” he said. “I worked in the offseason on all of them. I just want to try and play the best baseball I can.”
The A’s plan to relocate to Las Vegas in 2028, and De Vries is expected to be a key part of that future. Riordan believes the organization is on a strong track. “The A’s are on a really strong track to be a strong organization through and through,” he said.
