Shoulder injury sidelines Lake Elsinore's De Vries

SAN DIEGO -- Leodalis De Vries' breakout first professional season may be coming to an early end.

The Padres' 17-year-old shortstop prospect -- MLB Pipeline's top-ranked international signing in the current class -- suffered a strained right shoulder while diving for a ball on Sunday.

Per team sources, De Vries' shoulder strain will likely keep him sidelined for at least a couple of weeks. Without much season left for Single-A Lake Elsinore, a return seems unlikely, though the club has not ruled it out.

The Padres undoubtedly will be cautious with De Vries, their No. 2 prospect and MLB Pipeline's No. 47 overall. De Vries signed with the Padres in January -- then took the first flight of his life in early March to report to Spring Training in Peoria, Ariz. A day later, he was on a back field playing in intrasquad games chock full of big leaguers.

And he fit. That's been the key takeaway from Padres evaluators in Year 1: that De Vries -- a switch-hitter from Azua, Dominican Republic -- has the poise and maturity of a potential big leaguer.

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Early in the season, De Vries dealt with an injury to his other shoulder and struggled as a result. But once he got healthy, he turned in an outstanding summer, posting a .284/.407/.589 slash line in July and August.

De Vries’ name was mentioned in rumors around the Trade Deadline, but the Padres were staunch in their desire to hold on to him.

“You’re talking about a switch-hitting shortstop that’s opened a ton of eyes in the Minor Leagues right now,” general manager A.J. Preller said in his post-Deadline press conference.

De Vries would finish with a .237 average, an .802 OPS and 11 home runs, all while manning a solid shortstop. Not bad for a 17-year-old in his first professional season. Though, with a return still possible, it’s worth noting the Lake Elsinore Storm have clinched a spot in the California League playoffs.