Former Padres Top Prospect Leo De Vries Could Debut This Year, Says A's Manager

Former San Diego Padres top prospect Leo De Vries could make his MLB debut this year, according to Athletics manager Mark Kotsay.

"I mean I didn't think there was a chance that Nick Kurtz would be in the big leagues after 17 days of a season. I'm not going to say no, for sure," Kotsay said when asked if De Vries could debut this year. "I think everything is on the table. I've been really impressed with his actions in spring training. This is the first real look I've had at Leo.

"One of the great things about this kid, he called the A's and said, 'Hey can you guys send me a pitching machine? I just wanna work.' He's a kid that's getting after it right now."

Is there a chance that MLB's No. 4 overall prospect Leo De Vries could see the Big Leagues in 2026?@Athletics manager Mark Kotsay: "I'm not going to say no, for sure."

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— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) March 4, 2026

De Vries was once the next up and coming generational star in the Padres organization as the No. 3 overall prospect in baseball. His world got turned upside down after president of baseball operations A.J. Preller orchestrated the trade of last summer's deadline.

The deal was headlined by the Padres' acquisition of Mason Miller, the crown jewel of the relief market. While Preller managed to land the top reliever available, the most shocking part of the trade was San Diego's return package.

The package was headlined by De Vries, the Padres' top prospect. The team opting to send the 19-year-old away was absolutely mind-boggling and it's certainly not what the shortstop expected.

"I really don't know what to say but thanks for everything @padres," De Vries wrote on Instagram following the deadline deal.

As for what did Preller said about the transaction, he called it a difficult decision.

“It’s the most difficult part of the job,” Preller said. “ … We have history with Leo since he was 13, 14 years old in terms of when we started following and scouting him. He’s going to be a very good major league player. We’ve talked about this in the past. There are going to be guys that we sign and scout and develop and we want them to do it at Petco at a championship level. … He’s asked about in every deal. He’s a very good player and a tremendous prospect and we weren’t going to do it unless we got the right fit and pieces."

Now, there's a chance De Vries could make his MLB debut this season. It remains to be seen whether the Padres won the trade, but if the young shortstop develops into one of the league's biggest stars, that will certainly sting for years to come.

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