After Futures Game, A’s Top Prospects De Vries and Arnold Eye Promotion Path

A pair of elite prospects from the Athletics organization used the All-Star Futures Game earlier this month as a showcase for what could be coming soon to the big leagues. Shortstop Leo De Vries and left-handed pitcher Jamie Arnold — ranked as the club’s No. 1 and No. 2 prospects, respectively — are both playing for Double-A Midland this season and have drawn attention from the front office as potential call-up candidates before the end of the year.

For the A’s, the Futures Game has historically been a reliable barometer for imminent promotions. Tyler Soderstrom, Lawrence Butler and Shea Langeliers all participated in the Futures Game before making their major league debuts in the same season. The question now is whether De Vries (MLB Pipeline’s No. 2 overall prospect) and Arnold (No. 27) will follow that same path.

A growing trend in Oakland

The A’s have not been shy about pushing their young talent. Soderstrom debuted in 2023 after his Futures Game appearance; Butler did the same that year and became a regular in 2024. Langeliers, now the starting catcher, made his debut in 2022 after his Futures Game showing. That pattern gives weight to the possibility that De Vries and Arnold could be wearing A’s uniforms before 2026 is over — though general manager David Forst said the organization has not yet discussed a big league timetable for either player.

“You’re looking for both guys to force their way to Triple-A,” Forst said in an interview featured in an A’s Beat newsletter. “I can certainly see that happening in the second half of the season. As far as the big leagues, we have not talked about either guy in that context. But once they get to Vegas, we’ve shown that there are plenty of guys here now who didn’t have to be [in Triple-A] very long.”

De Vries: A 19-year-old doing it all

De Vries, who turns 20 in December, has already shown a mature all-around game in Double-A. In 365 plate appearances this season, he is slashing .290/.386/.452 with 12 home runs, 14 doubles, 45 walks and 33 stolen bases. His strikeout count (77) is an area to watch, but his on-base skills and speed are well ahead of expectations for a teenager in the Texas League.

Defensively, De Vries has spent most of his time at shortstop but has also logged 15 games at third base, giving the A’s flexibility as they consider his eventual position in the majors. He leads all A’s minor leaguers in stolen bases, a testament to his improved baserunning after swiping just 11 bags across two systems last year.

Arnold: Adjusting and improving

Arnold, the 11th overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft out of Florida State, was assigned directly to Double-A to begin his professional career. The left-hander’s season numbers — 4.11 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, 85 strikeouts and 41 walks in 81 innings — reflect early growing pains typical of a quick promotion. But his recent form has sparked optimism.

Over his last seven starts, Arnold is 3-2 with a 2.62 ERA, 33 strikeouts and 17 walks in 34⅓ innings, holding opponents to a .217 batting average. The improvement aligns with what the A’s front office expected as he adjusted to professional hitters. Forst noted that Arnold’s first full season in the minors has included stretches where he needed to work out of jams — a part of the developmental process.

Arnold is one of three left-handed pitching prospects in the A’s system who have been ranked on MLB’s Top 100 list this year. Gage Jump has already reached the majors and joined the A’s rotation. Wei-En Lin is also in that group. If Arnold continues his current trajectory, he could be the next to join Jump in Oakland.

What comes next

The most likely next step for both players is a promotion to Triple-A Las Vegas. The A’s have shown a willingness to accelerate prospects who perform well at that level — Soderstrom, Butler and Langeliers all spent limited time in Triple-A before getting the call. For now, the organization is letting their performance dictate the timeline.

For De Vries, the challenge will be maintaining his production as he faces more advanced pitching in the Pacific Coast League. For Arnold, consistency will be key after a rocky start. The Futures Game appearances have already signaled that the A’s see both as near-ready talents. With the big-league club struggling in the pitching department this season and looking to build a young core, the door could open sooner than later.

Source: MLB.com – “After Futures Game, could A’s top prospects be in The Show soon?” (July 24, 2026) – https://www.mlb.com/news/a-s-prospects-leo-de-vries-jamie-arnold-performing-in-double-a