Dave Roberts Praises A's Top Prospect Leo De Vries in Four Words
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When you end up hitting a two-run homer and a grand slam in the same game, it's hard for the opposing manager to not take notice. That's exactly what A's top prospect Leo De Vries did against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday afternoon, and Dave Roberts certainly was aware of what the No. 4 prospect in baseball was doing.
"It's a special talent," Roberts told Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. "When you give up Mason Miller, you're getting a player of that caliber...He showed the bat today, but he's going to be good for a long time."
That is high praise from the Dodgers manager, who has won the last two World Series and three overall as a manager. He also won a pretty famous one as a player on the 2004 Boston Red Sox squad that broke the Curse of the Bambino.
As for the home runs that De Vries hit, the first left the bat at 104.3 miles per hour with a 34 degree launch angle. The second, the grand slam, was 101.8 off the bat with a 29 degree launch angle. They also went roughly the same distance, at 392 and 393 feet.
Leo De Vries is going to rocket to the big leagues this year. https://t.co/8nQaFx0vu8
— Jason Burke (@ByJasonB) March 8, 2026
What makes De Vries so dangerous
The talent is undeniable, and what has been most impressive is how quickly he adjusts to a new situation. Last year he was called up to Double-A Midland less than three weeks after switching organizations entirely. He struggled initially, going 7-for-42 (.167), but he also tallied eight walks against 11 strikeouts in that span.
As soon as the calendar flipped to September—two weeks into his stint in Double-A as a 18-year-old—he caught fire. Across the final two regular season series, De Vries went 18-for-47 (.383) with a .420 OBP, five home runs and 13 RBI.
He stayed hot in the Texas League postseason, collecting multiple hits in three of the five contests the RockHounds played in, and going 8-for-19 (.421) overall. He added another three home runs and six RBI to his total, and notched more walks (3) than strikeouts (2) when the lights shone brightest.
Not only is it fairly rare for a player that young to make it to Double-A, but he also ended up thriving in his time with the team. That's why it wouldn't be surprising at all to see him begin the year in Triple-A this season, which would be an aggressive starting point for the youngster. He played in all of 21 regular season games in Double-A before a brief postseason appearance, after all.
The A's have not shied away from being aggressive with their prospects in recent seasons, and De Vries could be the guy that rockets his way to the big leagues this year. This team wants to win, and make it to the postseason in 2026. Their odds may be better with De Vries on board.
He wouldn't have to carry the club, either. The A's have one of the top offenses in baseball without him, but with him slotted in the bottom third of the order, they could be the best group in the game as he makes his adjustments.
Following his two-homer performance, A's fans have been thoroughly excited about his potential online, while the Dodgers manager has to agree. He's a special talent.
For more A's news and insights, follow Jason @ByJasonB on X, or the site @InsideTheAs!
Jason has been covering the A’s at various sites for over a decade, and was the original host of the Locked on A’s podcast. He also covers the Stanford Cardinal as they attempt to rebuild numerous programs to prominence.
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