Signed with the San Diego Padres as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic on Jan. 15, 2024... received $4.2 million from San Diego... was rated by MLB.com as the No. 1 overall international prospect in the 2024 class... marked the second straight year the Padres signed the top international prospect after Ethan Salas in 2023... switch-hitter was 17 when the Padres signed him... he was expected to receive an invite to Padres Spring Training in 2024... De Vries cited Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr. and the Padres' "Latin star power" as the reason they've been his favorite team and his preferred destination... De Vries had been training in the Dominican Republic with Lenny Pimentel, a member of MLB's Trainer Partnership Program... "I think I'm a leader above all," De Vries said after signing. "I think I can help my teammates and, most importantly, help the city of San Diego win a World Series."