Padres prospect De Vries sidelined by shoulder injury
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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' shoulder strain will likely keep him sidelined for at least a couple of weeks. Without much season left for Single-A Lake Elsinore, a return seems unlikely, though the club has not ruled it out.
The Padres undoubtedly will be cautious with De Vries, their No. 2 prospect and MLB Pipeline's No. 47 overall. De Vries signed with the Padres in January -- then took the first flight of his life in early March to report to Spring Training in Peoria, Ariz. A day later, he was on a back field playing in intrasquad games chock full of big leaguers.
And he fit. That's been the key takeaway from Padres evaluators in Year 1: that De Vries -- a switch-hitter from Azua, Dominican Republic -- has the poise and maturity of a potential big leaguer.
Early in the season, De Vries dealt with an injury to his other shoulder and struggled as a result. But once he got healthy, he turned in an outstanding summer, posting a .284/.407/.589 slash line in July and August.
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De Vries¡¯ name was mentioned in rumors around the Trade Deadline, but the Padres were staunch in their desire to hold on to him.
¡°You¡¯re talking about a switch-hitting shortstop that¡¯s opened a ton of eyes in the Minor Leagues right now,¡± general manager A.J. Preller said in his post-Deadline press conference.
De Vries would finish with a .237 average, an .802 OPS and 11 home runs, all while manning a solid shortstop. Not bad for a 17-year-old in his first professional season. Though, with a return still possible, it¡¯s worth noting the Lake Elsinore Storm have clinched a spot in the California League playoffs.