Josué De Paula hits a home run and leads the National League to victory in the 2025 Futures Game

Atlanta, USA. Dominican prospect Josué De Paula shined under the lights of Truist Park by hitting a three-run home run that propelled the National League to a 4-2 victory over the American League in the 2025 Futures Game, winning the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award of the game.

You may be interested in: Dominicans seek to extend their historic dominance in the Home Run Derby

De Paula, a gardener and the Dodgers of Los Angeles’ main prospect, became the figure of the match after depositing a 79.5 mph slider from left-hander Noah Schultz (White Sox) into the stands during the fourth inning. His hit was key to overcoming a 2-0 deficit and leading his league to its third consecutive victory in this classic of young promises. De Paula, of Dominican father and African-American mother, lived part of his childhood in the Dominican Republic. In addition to his baseball lineage, his family is linked to professional basketball, as he is a second cousin of former NBA players Stephon Marbury and Sebastian Telfair. The young cannoner, who is currently playing the season with the Great Lakes Loons (Class A), maintains an offensive line of .265/.409/.425 with 10 home runs and 26 stolen bases in 78 games. Alongside De Paula, other prominent prospects also shone in the encounter. For the National League, Owen Caissie (Cubs) hit a run-scoring double and several batters recorded solid performances, including LuJames Groover (D-backs), who went 2-2. For the American League, Josué Briceño (Tigers) opened the scoring with a run-scoring triple and was followed by a sacrifice fly from Sebastian Walcott (Rangers), who drove in the second run. Both players continue their development in Double-A. The pitching also had its highlights. Jurrangelo Cijntje (Mariners), JR Ritchie (Braves), and Trent Harris (Giants) each added two strikeouts in their respective innings of work. The Futures Game has been a launching pad for future MLB legends like Miguel Cabrera, Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, Mookie Betts, Aaron Judge, and Dominicans like Elly De La Cruz. Now, Josué De Paula writes his name on that list, confirming that his talent and projection place him among the great promises of baseball.