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1. SS Leo De Vries | 19 | AA | 2027

We don’t often see a prospect like De Vries get traded before his 20th birthday, if at all, so it was kind of shocking to see him moved for a reliever, even one as dominant as Mason Miller. Sacramento pushed the switch hitter to Double-A at age 18, where he slashed .281/.359/.551 with five home runs and two stolen bases in 21 games. He even showed plus plate skills: 9.7% walks against 19.4% strikeouts. It’ll be interesting to see how they time this out because he’s got a legitimate case to open the season in Triple-A at 19, an age he’ll stay until October 11th this year. Seems probably we’ll see him in the majors before he turns 20, and that’s a pretty consistent predictor of sustained stardom. Incredible work on the trade market by Sacramento in my opinion. 

Please, blog, may I have some more?

Braves RHP Didier Fuentes debuted Friday night and looked okay for a guy who turned 20 just a few days ago (June 17). He allowed four runs in five innings but walked just one Marlin against three strikeouts. Pitchers a lot further along in their development have had much worse big league debuts, so while the statline isn’t impressive on its own, Fuentes is a rocketship of a pitching prospect in an organization that tends to coach these types into orbit. He started this season in High-A and has now pitched at four levels mostly as a teenager. His fastball velo was in the 81st percentile Friday night, and his 6.8 foot extension was in the 76th percentile. The heater got hit around in his debut, but I think it’s going to work against major league hitters as he grows into his early 20’s. Pretty good chance this was a spot start, and he’ll go back to Triple-A to get more than the one start he logged at that level. 

Please, blog, may I have some more?