Dodgers No. 1 prospect De Paula breaks out at Double-A with 4-hit, 5-RBI night
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James Tibbs III might be grabbing most of the early-season headlines among Dodgers prospects, but Josue De Paula reminded everyone there's more than one burgeoning star in the organization on Wednesday.
MLB's No. 12 prospect blew full force into the 2026 season with arguably his best performance as a pro. De Paula slugged his first homer of the year and equaled a career high with four hits while driving in a personal-best five runs in Double-A Tulsa's 10-4 win over Springfield at Hammons Field.
The 20-year-old entered the night 4-for-17 (.235) with two RBIs in his first four games.
De Paula helped jump-start the offense in the opening frame with a single, plated two runs in the second with another knock and added a third RBI with his third single in the fourth. The Dodgers' No. 1 prospect put a loud exclamation point on his performance with a two-run jack in the sixth, his first of the season as well as his first at Double-A.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., De Paula moved to the Dominican Republic in high school and signed with Los Angeles in 2022, kicking off his pro career with a strong debut in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League.
The second cousin of former NBA star Stephon Marbury continued to excel stateside in 2023 at Single-A Rancho Cucamonga, and after opening 2024 in the California League, reached High-A later in the season at just 19 years old. De Paula's impressive campaign ended with an .809 OPS and a career-best 84 walks in 107 games.
An advanced hitter with terrific control of the strike zone, De Paula enjoyed his breakout moment at last year's All-Star Futures Game, where he earned MVP honors after belting a three-run homer off fellow Top 100 prospect Noah Schultz (CWS No. 2/MLB No. 46).
Although he slowed down after a hot start for High-A Great Lakes, De Paula posted an .827 OPS, walked 81 times and swiped 32 bases in 98 games for the Loons. He finished the season with a four-game cameo for Tulsa.
After a quiet start to the season, De Paula didn’t just shine Wednesday, he showed why the hype surrounding him keeps growing. Nights like this feel less like a breakthrough and more like a preview of what's to come.