The Dodgers are skipping a level entirely for their most exciting bat in years, and he could be starting games within days.
The Dodgers are calling up top prospect Josue De Paula, and he will not have to wait long to make his major league debut. The 21-year-old outfielder is expected to join the team Friday when Los Angeles opens a three game series against the Marlins in Miami.
De Paula is skipping Triple-A entirely, a move that marks the first time in 12 years under president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman that the Dodgers have called up a position player prospect directly from Double-A. The jump reflects just how advanced his bat has looked all season at Double-A Tulsa, where he slashed .303/.401/.547 with 27 home runs, 104 RBIs, 37 doubles and 31 stolen bases across 124 games.
He also drew 81 walks compared to just 87 strikeouts, numbers scouts view as remarkably polished for his age.
De Paula ranks among the sport’s top 10 overall prospects, checking in fourth on Baseball America’s list, sixth on MLB Pipeline’s and 10th according to ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel. His left-handed swing has drawn comparisons to a smaller, more athletic version of Yordan Alvarez, and MLB Pipeline considers him the organization’s most advanced hitting prospect since Corey Seager. Defensively, evaluators are far less bullish, viewing him as a below-average corner outfielder who profiles best as a designated hitter long term.
The timing lines up with the Dodgers’ growing need at DH. Shohei Ohtani has already confirmed his pitching season is over and was officially placed on the 15-day injured list after missing six of the Dodgers’ last seven games with left knee discomfort and right biceps soreness. Manager Dave Roberts confirmed De Paula would get the “lion’s share” of starts at designated hitter with Ohtani sidelined, though he could also see time in the outfield.
Farm director Josh Heyward recently spoke about the organization’s approach to developing De Paula. “A lot of the conversations for us, to him as an organization, are, ‘Hey, you’ve earned these things. You’ve earned the attention. You’ve earned the hype, so to speak,’” he said. “But we want to show him the things that are going to help along the way. Next thing you know, you get a call.”
That call is now official, and with the Dodgers pushing for a third straight World Series title, De Paula’s first big league at bats could carry real stakes almost immediately.
The Dodgers are calling up top prospect Josue De Paula, and he will not have to wait long to make his major league debut. The 21-year-old outfielder is expected to join the team Friday when Los Angeles opens a three game series against the Marlins in Miami.