The Athletics' farm system has been dealt a double blow.
Three weeks after Leo De Vries -- rated the A’s No. 1 prospect and No. 2 overall prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline -- was shut down for the season with what the club described as right shoulder soreness, the A's on Wednesday announced that the 19-year-old shortstop will undergo surgery to repair right shoulder instability. The procedure is scheduled for Sept. 14, and a full recovery could take up to eight months.
COMPLETE ATHLETICS PROSPECT COVERAGE
On Tuesday, A’s No. 3 (MLB No. 57) prospect Jamie Arnold -- recently promoted from Double-A Midland to Triple-A Las Vegas -- was pulled from his second start at the new level during the first inning after he was hit by a comebacker on the left side of his face. The A’s announced Wednesday that the 22-year-old left-hander suffered intra-orbital and maxillary sinus fractures. While it was determined by Dr. Brendan G. Johnson that surgery isn't required, there is no timetable for Arnold's return.
Before his season-ending injury, De Vries turned in a strong campaign at Double-A in what was his first full season in the A’s organization. The teenage phenom slashed .290/.378/.458 with 13 home runs, 21 doubles, 34 stolen bases and 55 RBIs in 93 games.
The expectation was that De Vries would be promoted to Triple-A at some point this month. Now, he will be confined to mostly rehabbing throughout the offseason, with hopes of returning to action sometime over the first two months of the 2027 season.
Arnold, selected No. 11 overall in the 2025 MLB Draft by the A’s out of Florida State, was rewarded with a Triple-A promotion following a stellar run at Double-A that saw him post a 2.43 ERA with 73 strikeouts and 25 walks in 66 2/3 innings over his final 13 starts for the Rockhounds. His Triple-A debut last week was superb, as he tossed five scoreless innings on 67 pitches against El Paso, allowing just four hits and two walks with five strikeouts.