Today will be the start of a new series here at LADR, with that being a look at the future of our beloved Los Angeles Dodgers, as we take a look at some of the future boys in the blue down on the farm. It is not easy in baseball to win at the big-league level while maintaining a farm system capable of churning out future team members on a daily basis. Yet, the Dodgers have not sacrificed the farm system while building their dynasty, which is saying something in this day and age. The first player in this series will be prospect Josue De Paula, who should be a solid contributor once he arrives at the big-league level.
Josue was born in Brooklyn and moved to the Dominican Republic while in high school. He stands at 6 feet 3 and weighs a solid 185 pounds. Being just 20 years old, as he puts on more muscle with his large frame, he could easily be around 195-200 by the time he reaches the majors. He bats from the left side of the plate, and as of right now, his bat is way ahead of his fielding. At the plate, he has very good strike zone recognition, and he has started to tap into his power to all fields. Some scouts have called him a more athletic version of Yordan Alvarez. He is not a speed demon by any means, but in the last season in high A ball, he swiped 59 bags in 70 attempts, which is pretty remarkable and shows good on-base awareness of when to take the chance to steal when you’re not gifted with flat-out speed.
Power-wise, Josue could hit easily 30-35 home runs a season and probably more as he continues to define his approach at the plate and gets more at-bats in the minors. He grades out with a 60 contact and 60 power ranking, but that power ranking seems low to me. I have seen him a few times this spring; when he hits the ball, he smokes it hard. I am looking forward to seeing him with the Tulsa Drillers this season and seeing up close just how hard he really hits the ball, as on TV it sure sounds like a rocket coming off his bat. He should be a corner outfielder once he reaches the show, but right now, he does need to work on his fielding, as his routes to fly balls have not been great to say the least, and his throws to the cut-off man are a work in progress. De Paula was named Futures Game MVP last season as his three-run homer off the White Sox’s Noah Schultz in a left-on-left battle sealed the game for the National League future Stars, and he looks to be in line for another Dodger gem of a find that will contribute despite not being a top prospect when drafted.
Even if his fielding does not improve to an elite level, his bat should play at the big-league level, and barring a trade, he will be hitting home runs all over Dodger Stadium in the next few years. If you have not had the chance to check out some of the spring training games on Sportsnet LA, you should, as the WBC taking away players from their respective teams gives you a chance to see some of the top prospects in the game getting early playing time you most likely would not have seen otherwise. The scary part about Josue is that at only 20 years old, and with strike zone recognition of a Juan Soto already, he could be the next superstar wearing Dodger blue. The fun part about baseball is looking at what your team’s minor leaguers are doing and getting excited about the possibilities that could come in future years. Sure, Josue may not become what the scouts and what I think he can become, but if he does, all I can say is bring your glove when you go to Dodger Stadium because he will be knocking souvenirs into the stands on a nightly basis.
