Josue De Paula is officially one of the most-talked-about call-ups this 2026 season, and for good reason. The dude absolutely tore it up in Double-A Tulsa as a 21-year-old, flashing a ridiculous .303/.401/.547 slash line with a 145 wRC+. This isn’t just a good season, folks, this is a full-on breakout, making everyone sit up and pay attention to what this kid is bringing to the big league club.
This Kid Is A Hitting Machine, Seriously
We’ve seen De Paula hanging around the top-100 prospect lists before both the 2025 and 2026 seasons, but what he did this year in Double-A? That’s next-level stuff. He wasn’t just hitting for average, he was mashing, racking up 37 doubles and 27 home runs. Think about that for a second: those numbers are more than double his previous career bests! He hit 17 doubles in 2024 and 12 homers in 2025, so this power surge is legitimate. On top of that, he chopped his strikeout rate down to a career-low 14.8 percent at his highest level yet. You want prospect hype? He was ranked third by Baseball Prospectus in July, fourth by Baseball America in August, sixth by MLB Pipeline in August, 10th by ESPN in August, and 18th by The Athletic in July. That’s a serious climb!
Next-Level Metrics Are Off The Charts
It’s not just the raw numbers either. J.J. Cooper over at Baseball America compared De Paula to Kevin McGonigle, a rookie with a 126 wRC+ this season. Cooper went deep, saying De Paula’s in-zone miss rate is just under 9%, with an overall miss rate of 15%. His 22% chase rate is above average, and that well above-average 105 mph 90th percentile exit velocity? Pure power, baby. Cooper summed it up perfectly: “You very rarely see that kind of well-rounded profile combining extreme contact ability, excellent plate discipline and real power.” Jim Callis from MLB Pipeline backed that up, noting De Paula “tapped into more power in 2026 by turning his pretty left-handed swing loose more often.” Even with his chase rate jumping to 22 percent, it’s “still excellent for his age and level,” and he swung and missed only 15 percent of the time, just 10 percent against strikes. He even topped out at 111 mph exit velocity! This kid’s bat-to-ball skills and damage potential are seriously something else.
The Big Question Mark That Can’t Overshadow The Bat
Now, let’s talk about the one thing that keeps De Paula from being the consensus top prospect in all of baseball. Jeffrey Paternostro at Baseball Prospectus is flat-out high on De Paula’s bat, calling him the “best offensive prospect in the minors.” The hang-up? His defense and positional value. Paternostro mentioned that as De Paula has filled out, he’s gone from being stretched in center, to a corner, and now probably a first baseman, or even just a designated hitter. If Paternostro was “certain he could manage even a 45 glove in a corner spot,” he’d put him at number one. We still don’t know how he handles first base, and being a primary DH makes it “hard to be one of the best players in baseball.” Still, with that bat, does it even matter? This kid is a force, and he’s proving it right now. What’s next for him in the big leagues? Can he keep that monster offensive production going? You better believe everyone’s watching.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by True Blue LA.
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