3 prospects who have golden opportunity to step up after Leo De Vries trade

AJ Preller and the Padres' front office staff had a memorable trade deadline in 2025. The Friars acquired several players to boost a roster that was in need of reinforcements to spark a playoff push, including Athletics reliever Mason Miller and starter JP Sears. These two arms cost the Padres a lot, including their top prospect in Leo De Vries.

De Vries - an 18-year-old shortstop - is the No. 3 overall prospect in baseball, which leaves an opening in the Padres' future somewhere within the infield. With De Vries surprisingly out of the picture, what current prospects, older or younger, can take advantage of the new vacancy? This is a golden opportunity for all Padres minor leaguers, but Francisco Acuna, Deivid Coronil, and Devin Ortiz have a chance to make themselves more known within the organization, whether it's basking in that opportunity sooner or later.

Francisco Acuna

At 25 years old, Acuna has the chance to show the Padres that he is ready to help the organization on a big league scale. With Double-A San Antonio, Acuna has 17 stolen bases and 36 walks through 79 games. He's having a rough July, batting .147, but with De Vries out of the picture, now is the time for Acuna to step up and prove his worth.

Deivid Coronil

One year younger than De Vries, we won't expect the 17-year-old to sniff the majors any time soon. However, with De Vries and Cobb Hightower gone, Coronil is now the highest-ranked shortstop in San Diego's farm.

He hasn't played much in Rookie Ball this season, logging 39 games by the time the trade deadline hit. Coronil is batting .202, but has a .360 OBP, showcasing early signs of plate discipline. He has a ton of time to develop, and the pressure is off of Coronil, but it will soon be his time to prove himself as the best shortstop the Padres have waiting in the minors.

Devin Ortiz

Ortiz, 26, is a forgotten prospect in the Padres' farm system. A 6-foot-2, 215-pound frame, Ortiz has a big-league stature, and he can play all over the infield.

Mainly a third baseman, Ortiz has the chops to play shortstop, but his defensive versatility can allow him to shoot up the ranks as he continues developing, all while the Padres forget about De Vries.

Ortiz had a down month in June, but outside of that, he can hit anywhere from .270 to .300 with Double-A San Antonio. In 91 games this year, he's picked up 17 extra-base hits, 13 stolen bases, and 34 walks.

Ortiz is showing that he is ready for the next step recently, too. With seven multi-hit games in July, Ortiz is batting 8-for-his-last-15 with four RBIs. If Ortiz continues to perform well, he might find himself in a golden opportunity to climb the ladder within the Padres' organization.