Scouting Report

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Scouting grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 60 | Run: 45 | Arm: 50 | Field: 40 | Overall: 60

Dodgers officials routinely describe De Paula as the most advanced young hitter their organization has had in years. The second cousin of former NBA guards Stephon Marbury and Sebastian Telfair, he was born in Brooklyn before moving to the Dominican Republic and signing from there for $397,500 in 2022. He slashed .268/.404/.405 with 10 homers between two Class A stops at age 19 last year, leading the system in on-base percentage and posting a 136 wRC+ as the second-youngest regular in the High-A Midwest League during the second half.

Few teenagers can match De Paula's combination of swing decisions and exit velocities. He smoked balls harder than ever in 2024 as he began to fill out his 6-foot-3 frame during offseason workouts with Elly De La Cruz and Juan Soto. He recognizes pitches well and has a sweet left-handed stroke, enabling him to control the strike zone and make hard contact to all fields. He made progress with his ability to pull and lift pitches last season and could grow into at least 30-homer power as he continues to improve and get stronger.

De Paula could become a slightly smaller version of Yordan Alvarez, but the Dodgers hope he'll provide some baserunning and defensive value. He has fringy speed but showed the savvy to steal 27 bases in 30 attempts in 2024, though those numbers will diminish as he faces better competition. His instincts on the outfield corners are only rudimentary and the club is challenging him to improve defensively. He's still learning to make the most of his average-to-solid arm strength.

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 55 | Run: 45 | Arm: 50 | Field: 40 | Overall: 55

The second cousin of former NBA guards Stephon Marbury and Sebastian Telfair, De Paula was born in Brooklyn but signed out of the Dominican Republic for $397,500 in January 2022. That looks like a bargain as scouts inside and outside of the organization already marvel at his offensive upside. He made his U.S. debut by batting .284/.396/.372 in Single-A as an 18-year-old last season, and he would have ranked in the California League top five in hitting and on-base percentage if he hadn't fallen just short of qualifying.

De Paula is built to hit with a sweet left-handed stroke and advanced aptitude to recognize pitches and make quality swing decisions. He spent the offseason training with Juan Soto and Elly De La Cruz in Florida, adding significant muscle to his 6-foot-3 frame that should translate into increased power in 2024. With his hitting ability, bat speed and projectable strength, he could develop into a .300 hitter with 30 homers on an annual basis once he learns to drive balls in the air more consistently.

De Paula looks twitchier and more athletic this year, and the Dodgers are hoping that will translate into more effectiveness on the bases and in the outfield. He has fringy to average speed but has been an opportunistic basestealer, swiping 30 bags in 39 tries in 128 games during his first two pro seasons. He lacks instincts and has been error-prone as an outfielder, showing an average arm while spending most of 2023 in right field.

Scouting grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 55 | Run: 40 | Arm: 50 | Field: 45 | Overall: 50

Born in Brooklyn and a second cousin of former NBA guards Stephon Marbury and Sebastian Telfair, De Paula signed out of the Dominican Republic in January 2022 for $397,500. He was spectacular in his pro debut, batting .349/.448/.522 and finishing sixth in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League batting race. Club officials rave about his hitting attributes, with one saying De Paula is their best international bat in the last decade, a span that also includes Top 100 Prospects Miguel Vargas and Andy Pages.

De Paula not only possesses one of the best left-handed strokes in the system, but his ability to recognize pitches and make advanced swing decisions is outstanding for a teenager. He has a lot of present and projectable strength in his 6-foot-3 frame, which, combined with his hitting ability and bat speed, could give him plus power once he's physically mature. He's obviously a long ways from his ceiling, but he has the tools and skills to become a .300 hitter with 30 homers per year.

De Paula posts 40-45 run times on the 20-80 scouting scale and it's possible that he could slow down further as he fills out. While he saw more action in center field than in the corners during his debut, he won't have the range to stick up the middle. He may have enough arm strength to handle right field, but ultimately most of his value will come from his bat.

Awards

MID Post-Season All-Star

Year	Team
2025

MID Player of the Week

Week	Team
09/07/2025

Futures Game Most Valuable Player

Year	Team
2025

DSL Post-Season All-Star

Year	Team
2022

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	09/10/2025	CF Josue De Paula assigned to Glendale Desert Dogs.
	09/09/2025	CF Josue De Paula assigned to Tulsa Drillers from Great Lakes Loons.
	08/16/2025	Great Lakes Loons activated CF Josue De Paula from the 7-day injured list.
	07/26/2025	Great Lakes Loons placed CF Josue De Paula on the 7-day injured list.
	07/18/2025	Great Lakes Loons activated CF Josue De Paula from the temporarily inactive list.
	07/11/2025	Great Lakes Loons placed CF Josue De Paula on the temporarily inactive list.
	07/11/2025	National League Futures activated CF Josue De Paula.
	03/06/2025	activated RF Josue De Paula.
	01/24/2025	Los Angeles Dodgers invited non-roster RF Josue De Paula to spring training.
	07/13/2024	Great Lakes Loons activated CF Josue De Paula from the 7-day injured list.
	07/04/2024	Great Lakes Loons placed CF Josue De Paula on the 7-day injured list.
	06/25/2024	CF Josue De Paula assigned to Great Lakes Loons from Rancho Cucamonga Quakes.
	03/24/2024	CF Josue De Paula assigned to Los Angeles Dodgers.
	03/07/2024	Los Angeles Dodgers Prospects activated CF Josue De Paula.
	03/02/2024	CF Josue De Paula assigned to Los Angeles Dodgers.
	05/30/2023	CF Josue De Paula assigned to Rancho Cucamonga Quakes from DSL LAD Bautista.
	06/05/2022	CF Josue De Paula assigned to DSL LAD Bautista.
	01/15/2022	Los Angeles Dodgers signed free agent CF Josue De Paula to a minor league contract.