Dodgers call up prospect Josue De Paula to debut Friday in Miami with Ohtani out
The Los Angeles Dodgers called up outfielder Josue De Paula, MLB Pipeline's No. 6 overall prospect, to make his major league debut Friday in Miami. De Paula replaces Shohei Ohtani on the active roster after the Dodgers placed Ohtani on the 15-day injured list due to left knee and right biceps injuries.
The Los Angeles Dodgers called up outfielder Josue De Paula to make his major league debut Friday in Miami after placing Shohei Ohtani on the 15-day injured list due to left knee and right biceps injuries. De Paula, 21, is MLB Pipeline's No. 6 overall prospect and will receive playing time as designated hitter while Ohtani recovers, as well as reps in corner-outfield spots. The promotion is unconventional for the Dodgers, according to MLB.com's reporting, signaling the organization's confidence in his immediate readiness despite his prospect status. Born in Brooklyn and signed by the Dodgers as part of their 2022 international signing class after moving to the Dominican Republic while in high school, De Paula has moved quickly through the minor league system. In his first full season at Double-A Tulsa, he slashed .303 with a .401 on-base percentage and .547 slugging percentage, adding 27 home runs, 104 RBIs, and 106 runs scored in 2026. De Paula has stolen 31 bases this season despite below-average speed, per the reporting. Manager Dave Roberts expressed confidence in De Paula's hitting ability, stating: "I think that our player development group is very confident in his ability to conduct an at-bat. You could argue that the talent in Double-A is similar to Triple-A, as far as pure arms and arm talent." MLB Pipeline considers De Paula the Dodgers' most advanced young hitter since Corey Seager. De Paula's defensive profile presents challenges. At Tulsa this season, he has split time between left field and right field while committing eight errors. De Paula himself acknowledged the gap in March, stating: "Just by my bat alone, I could handle myself. But the end goal is not just to be a great hitter. I already know I am. The goal is to be a complete player in every aspect of the game, not having any holes." De Paula is not on the Dodgers' 40-man roster, and the team will need to clear a spot to select his contract from Double-A on Friday. Roberts said of De Paula's postseason prospects: "Anything's possible. But I think the first part of it, the thought was there is a little bit of a runway now with Shohei on the IL, and we can get him some Major League at-bats and see how that looks."
De Paula, 21, will make his MLB debut Friday while Ohtani recovers, batting as designated hitter and seeing corner-outfield reps despite defensive concerns that prompted the Dodgers to limit his playing time to the plate.
De Paula's debut Friday will show whether the Dodgers' wager on his offensive ceiling outweighs his defensive liabilities down the stretch toward postseason rosters, where defensive flexibility often determines playing time. His ability to produce at the plate during this window will determine whether he earns a postseason roster spot or returns to the minor leagues after Ohtani's return.
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