As Director of Pro Scouting, I lead a talented group of evaluators as we break down future stars. You can find me at random California League games throughout the season!
The are rich teams, there are poor teams, then there's teams that trade high end relievers for one of the best prospects in baseball. The Althetics are the third one. Bringing in Leo De Vries in the Mason Miller trade does wonders for their potential upside. Plus a future lineup containing De Vries, Nick Kurtz, Jacob Wilson, and Tyler Soderstrom is an exciting one. It's no surprise De Vries tops this list, followed by first round pick Jamie Arnold who slid right into their hands. With exciting names close to contributing like Henry Bolte or upside lottery types like Edgar Montero, this system contains a good amount of upside and risk.
About Our Top 20 Lists
Prospects Live, led by its evaluating team & Director of Scouting Rhys White, is proud to begin rolling out its annual offseason system reports. The team combines industry feedback, our live looks, film, and available data to compile each org. We believe this effort has enabled us to present you, the reader, with our best possible view of the prospects in the organization.
We have constructed this list using the Overall Future Potential (OFP) scale. There is no perfect equation for ranking prospects or assigning value to them, but we believe this method is the best possible approach. Every prospect on this list has been graded based on the tried and true 20-80 scouting scale. An 80 is the highest tool and OFP grade on the scale, reserved for MVP-caliber players or tools. Conversely, a 20 is reserved for non-prospects (NPs). A 50 OFP falls in the middle, indicating our evaluators deem this player a future average major league player. Below the 50 OFP tier are the 45s and 40s, comprising a large majority of players on each list. These are specific-role players, such as platoon hitters, utility players, or low-leverage relievers. Above the 50 OFP tier are the 55s and 60s. A 55 represents a future above-average player, and a 60 OFP designation is reserved for future All-Star caliber players.
In addition to the tool grades and OFP, we will also include a 'Risk' associated with each prospect. We use this to better communicate to you, the reader, whether a grade is more aggressive or conservative in nature. The evaluation team has worked hard to apply both the grades and risk components to better illustrate how each individual prospect stacks up in their respective system and in the baseball ecosystem.
De Vries was the headlining return in the blockbuster trade between the A's and Padres that saw Mason Miller head to San Diego in return for the blockbuster trade of the season. Standing at 6-foot-1, De Vries is close to a fully filled out frame. He operates with an open stance from both sides with a slight knee bend, and he moves through his load to his stride towards the ball with total balance. This all leads to a swing that beautifully cuts through the zone with a natural loft from both sides of the plate. De Vries is much calmer in his set-up from the left side with his bat resting on his shoulder and more traditionally stanced from the right. De Vries went from 17 in A-ball, skipping DSL and Complex ball entirely, to Double-A by the end of his 18 year-old season. The A's took the aggressive path implemented by the Padres and had him in Midland by mid-August, making him the youngest player in Double-A. It was slow going at first, and it took De Vries some time to adjust, but once September rolled around, he took off. De Vries saw tremendous improvements in contact rates and swings and misses, and his knack for elevating the ball pull-side with power progressed further in Double-A as the friendly elevation in the Texas League helped him out a couple times. In September, El Mutante hovered around a 90% zone contact rate with a 17% whiff rate. He made in-game adjustments that guys three years older just don't make. His feel for the shadow of the zone is beyond his years. He spits on breaking pitches he doesn't like and is in total command at the plate. He's progressed into a plus contact bat in part because of his process to go with plus power capabilities. There's 20+ home run ability here coupled with elite pitch recognition and quality swing decisions from both sides of the plate that bettered throughout the 2025 season, especially against left-handed pitchers. De Vries has found a compatibility between knowing when to be aggressive and when to work the count. He's become the total package at the plate. Defensively is less of a sure thing, and where he fits on the diamond in the future is the question mark. He boasts a plus arm, but he projects a lot more confidently as a third baseman. That being said, he likely sticks at short as he possesses the instinctiveness necessary to be quick on his feet despite not having the best range, and the more experience he gains, the less of a rush he will be in. De Vries is a good, not great runner, possessing above average speed with quality baserunning abilities. His overall feel for the game makes him a much lower risk than a succeeding 18 year-old in Double-A should be, but his overall abilities at the plate are undeniable. There's a future All-Star here regardless of position, and the A's may have struck gold. - Matt Seese
Director of Amateur Scouting, proud to lead and share the team's work. | Check out Path to the Show on Bally Sports Live and College Baseball Now everywhere! | Grateful for family, the Vols, and everyone who reads Prospects Live. | For His Glory.
Director of Amateur Scouting, proud to lead and share the team's work. | Check out Path to the Show on Bally Sports Live and College Baseball Now everywhere! | Grateful for family, the Vols, and everyone who reads Prospects Live. | For His Glory.
As Director of Pro Scouting, I lead a talented group of evaluators as we break down future stars. You can find me at random California League games throughout the season!
Director of Dynasty Content - Canadian born and raised, moved to Arkansas with my wife and two sons Ezra and Ari. Followed and played baseball my whole life; played dynasty for 25+ years.
As Director of Pro Scouting, I lead a talented group of evaluators as we break down future stars. You can find me at random California League games throughout the season!
