​Los Angeles Dodgers prospect Josue De Paula is chasing a historic feat: winning a second MVP Award in the All-Star Futures Game, something no baseball player has accomplished before. De Paula captured the Larry Doby Award after delivering a pivotal go-ahead three-run homer in the 2025 Futures Game in Atlanta. The award honors Baseball Hall of Famer Larry Doby, who became the first Black player in American League history in 1947.
“It meant a lot,” De Paula told Mark Feinsand of MLB.com last July. “I was overwhelmed with emotion, especially doing it in front of my dad. That’s something that doesn’t happen very often. I just wanted to go up there, see ball, hit ball, knowing that we don’t have any information on these pitchers.”
Tulsa Drillers outfielder Josue De Paula has been showcasing his talents prominently this season, putting himself among the top hitters in the sport as one of the youngest players in the Double-A Texas League. At 21, he leads the Drillers in several categories and stands out for his production and versatility. He currently leads the league in hits (101), runs (71), doubles (26), and total bases (174). He is tied for third in RBI (65), fifth in walks (53), and tied for sixth in batting average (.321). He ranks ninth in slugging percentage (.553), 10th in home runs (15) and OPS (a robust .971), and 12th in on-base percentage.
De Paula is a 6-foot-3, 185-pound left-handed hitter who signed with the Dodgers at age 16 for $397,000. Born in Brooklyn, he moved to the Dominican Republic in 2021 while attending high school so he would be eligible for MLB’s international signing period in January 2022. He quickly made his mark with the Dodgers in the Dominican Summer League, batting .349 with 30 RBI and 16 stolen bases in 54 games at age 17. In 415 minor-league games across his career, he has posted a .287 batting average with 302 runs, 44 homers, 241 RBI, and 114 steals in 139 attempts.
Currently rated as the No. 4 prospect in baseball by both Baseball America and MLB.com, De Paula sits behind Jesus Made (Brewers) and Leo De Vries (Athletics) at Nos. 1 and 2, respectively. Eli Willits (Nationals) is MLB.com’s No. 3. Baseball America places Cole Emerson, who has already earned a call-up to the Seattle Mariners, at No. 3. De Paula is among the leading lights for the Dodgers as they chart a path toward continued success in their farm system.
Joining De Paula in the 2026 All-Star Futures Game in Philadelphia on Sunday will be Dodgers prospect Mike Sirota, 23, who has split time in 2026 between the Great Lakes Loons of the High-A Midwest League and Tulsa. The 6-foot-2, 188-pound outfielder has produced comparable numbers at each level: over 35 games at Great Lakes, he has hit .325 with seven homers, 22 RBI, 37 runs, and 8-for-9 in stolen bases; over 39 games at Tulsa, he has hit .321 with seven homers, 25 RBI, 32 runs, and 3-for-3 in stolen bases.
Sirota was selected in the third round of the 2024 MLB Draft. As he continues to progress through the pipeline, he and De Paula symbolize the Dodgers’ commitment to developing a dynamic, high-ceiling roster of prospects who could shape the club’s future on the major league stage.