Josue De Paula was part of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 2022 international signing period class and has continued rising through the prospect rankings after a solid start to his 2024 season.
The 19-year-old is hitting .246/.351/.430 with 10 doubles, two triples, four home runs and 24 RBI across 37 games for Single-A Rancho Cucamonga.
De Paula’s batting average and on-base percentage are down from his first season with the Quakes, but his slugging percentage has increased by nearly 60 points.
Dodgers vice president of player development Will Rhymes predicted that De Paula will be a consensus top-50 prospect by the end of the 2024 Minor League season, via Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com:
“He’ll be consensus Top 50 on every list by the end of the year, there’s no doubt,” Rhymes predicted.
Rhymes believes De Paula has elite hitting tools and noted his power numbers should go up as he gains more experience:
“It’s an elite hit tool, an elite swing. The power is going to come as a function of just how good of a natural hitter he is. The physical gains, his zone control, contact skills at his age are so far beyond [his years]. Mostly, we try to get out of his way.”
De Paula entered the year as ESPN’s Keith Law’s No. 25 overall prospect and Kiley McDaniel’s No. 68 overall prospect for the 2024 season. McDaniel noted that he will likely be limited to a corner outfield spot, but already has plus hit and power tools.
Meanwhile, some Dodgers officials said that De Paula is the best international hitter they’ve signed in the last decade.
Josue De Paula’s Minor League career
Through parts of three Minor League seasons, De Paula is batting .295/.402/.430 with 38 doubles, six triples, 11 home runs, 94 RBI and 36 stolen bases in 164 games.
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