The Athletics have suffered another major blow with the 19-year-old infielder, and it is a major cause for concern since he is set to undergo shoulder surgery. Previously, we have seen how PCA, Bellinger, Pages, Tatis, Carroll, and Ohtani all underwent surgery on their non-throwing shoulders, but Leo De Vries is getting it done on his right throwing shoulder. So, yes, there are concerns about it affecting him differently. In fact, Cody Bellinger had shoulder surgery in 2020, and his power never really returned to the same levels, while Andy Pages had shoulder surgery for a torn labrum in June 2023 and was playing in the major leagues the next year.
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With just 15 games remaining in this season, the A’s are essentially out of the playoff picture. Their focus had already shifted toward the future, but the recent setback appears to be even more costly for the franchise.
“MLB’s #2 overall prospect Leo De Vries will have shoulder surgery that will sideline him for eight months,” Talkin’ Baseball updated on X.
The 19-year-old suffered an issue with his right shoulder during a Double-A Midland game on August 14. The soreness looked serious, and the organization stopped him from throwing. It turned out that Vries has an anterior labrum tear, and his surgery is scheduled for September 14 in Arlington, Texas. This will keep him out of baseball until the first few months of next year.
Leo De Vries is the second-ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline. He is also the No. 1 prospect in the A’s farm system. He joined the organization alongside prospects Braden Nett, Henry Baez, and Eduarniel Núñez in a trade with the San Diego Padres in exchange for Mason Miller. That was in July 2025. Vries split his time between High-A and Double-A, recording a .255 batting average, 74 RBIs, and 15 home runs over 118 games last year.
This earned him a non-roster invitation to Spring Training in 2026. This year, he has played 93 games and is hitting .290/.378/.458 in Double-A. He has already recorded 55 RBIs and 13 home runs. That’s why the A’s originally planned to promote him to Triple-A by September. But that plan is now off the table.
The A’s are fourth in the AL West with a 59-88 record. They are middle of the pack with a .245 batting average, but their 5.35 ERA is second-worst in MLB. They need a solid boost both in their lineup and rotation. True, he wasn’t getting to the major league roster immediately, but his eventual MLB debut has just been pushed back.
What’s worse is that Leo De Vries isn’t the only injury setback for the Athletics. Another youngster recently suffered a critical injury.
A’s suffering a double impact
Jamie Arnold is the No. 3 prospect for the team who is out indefinitely. On Tuesday, the starting pitcher took the mound for the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators. But his night ended abruptly in the first inning when a 107-mph comebacker from Sacramento River Cats batter Bo Davidson hit him on the left side of his face. The 22-year-old was able to get back up and walk off the field on his own. But it looked like a severe case.
Arnold was instantly taken to the hospital, and it turned out he suffered intra-orbital and maxillary sinus fractures. That means he has broken bones around his eye socket and broken cheekbones as well, but fortunately, dual board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon Dr. Brendan G. Johnson declared that he wouldn’t require surgery.
While that is indeed good news for the player, there is no return timeline for Arnold or Vries at this point. The pitcher was doing well in Triple-A, and his numbers saw a striking improvement in August. He had a 7.11 ERA over five starts in May, and it came down to 1.57 in August.
Missing these top prospects has been a huge blow for the A’s. But they aren’t the only concerns. They have 12 players on the injured list. Catcher Shea Langeliers is suffering from a torn meniscus in his right knee. He is expected to return in mid-September. J.T. Ginn, on the other hand, has a right elbow impingement. But he, too, is scheduled to return by September 21.
But stars like Jacob Wilson, Brent Rooker, and Tyler Soderstrom require surgery. And excluding Ginn and Langeliers, all of them will return next season. Given that the A’s have little to no chance of making the playoffs this year, the return timelines aren’t much of a concern. But the setbacks suffered by their young prospects have jeopardized their future plans. All they can do now is hope for a speedy recovery.