MESA, Ariz. – Ethan Salas and Leodalis De Vries have been inextricably linked to begin their pro careers, having been the respective No. 1 overall international prospects in 2023 and ‘24, both choosing to sign with the Padres. Top prospects of rebuilding clubs who come with extreme promise and impact

MESA, Ariz. -- The Padres aren't afraid to challenge elite young prospects. They sent Ethan Salas , the top player in the 2023 international class, to Double-A at age 17 last summer. They had Leodalis De Vries, the best player in this year's international crop, spend all of this season

SAN DIEGO -- Leodalis De Vries' breakout first professional season may be coming to an early end. The Padres' 17-year-old shortstop prospect -- MLB Pipeline's top-ranked international signing in the current class -- suffered a strained right shoulder while diving for a ball on Sunday. Per team sources, De Vries'

Leo De Vries has perhaps never deserved his nickname of “El Mutante” more than on Friday night when he left the yard twice for the first multihomer game of his very young pro career. But that’s not where his otherworldly abilities end -- the 17-year-old homered from both the right

It took 36 games, but Leodalis De Vries connected on his first professional home run at age 17. MLB’s No. 78 prospect received an aggressive assignment to Single-A Lake Elsinore after signing with the Padres in January as the top-ranked international free agent. He racked up a four-RBI performance in

In an era that places a premium on platoon advantages, switch-hitters can be the most versatile members of a lineup -- even if they've become increasingly hard to find. Over the past four seasons, the number of switch-hitting batters in the Majors has slowly ticked down from 10.7 percent in

It’s often said to not let a shooter on the basketball court see one go through the net, lest they heat up and find their rhythm. That might be an apt analogy for Leodalis De Vries, the No. 1 international prospect in the 2024 class, who excelled on the basketball

In recent years, the Padres have shown they are not afraid to push their top prospects. For the second straight season, they are starting a 17-year-old No. 1 international prospect at Single-A Lake Elsinore rather than in rookie ball, and in turn, challenging him from the moment he enters the

The Padres signed the top prospect of his international class. They brought him over stateside in his first professional spring, and his Minor League debut will come at a full-season level. Sound familiar?