Did the Padres trade away their future?

The San Diego Padres have traded their top prospect, Leodalis De Vries, in exchange for the Athletics All-Star closer Mason Miller and left-hander JP Sears. The 18-year-old De Vries was ranked as the No. 3 prospect in baseball by MLB.com and the top prospect in the Padres’ farm system.

De Vries was the top prospect in the 2024 international class, signing with the Padres for $4.2 million. He rose quickly through the Padres’ system and reached High-A, where he posted a .767 OPS. 

Under general manager A.J. Preller, San Diego has become known for blockbuster moves, having traded away future All-Stars James Wood, C.J. Abrams and MacKenzie Gore since 2022. The trio was traded to acquire superstar Juan Soto, who is no longer with the organization. Prior to being traded, none of the three had reached the same prospect status as De Vries.

The Padres are clearly all-in, hoping to maximize their window with Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Xander Bogaerts. They’ve reached the postseason in two of the past three seasons, failing to win a pennant either time. The trade boosts their World Series odds and strengthens a bullpen that already owns the best ERA in baseball, but it jeopardizes their future.

How long the Padres can continue trading away future All-Stars before facing the consequences of a depleted farm system remains to be seen. Trading away De Vries clearly prioritizes the present over the future. If the Padres don’t make a meaningful push in this year’s postseason, they may live to regret this trade for years to come.