The San Diego Padres made a huge move at the MLB trade deadline on Thursday, acquiring closer Mason Miller and southpaw starter JP Sears. It's a good pair of additions for the 60-49 Padres—but the cost they paid was enormous.
To land those two deadline targets San Diego gave up a huge haul of four prospects. Most shockingly, that haul is headlined by shortstop Leodalis De Vries, considered one of the best prospects in baseball and listed at No. 3 overall in the latest pipeline rankings. De Vries had been mentioned as a prospect potentially on the move in the lead-up to the deadline, but his inclusion in the deal for Miller and Spears was still a big surprise.
Miller, 26, has posted a 3.76 ERA and recorded 59 strikeouts in 38.1 innings so far this season. Sears has gone 7-9 with a 4.95 ERA in 22 starts.
The lengths the Padres were willing to go to get their guy left the MLB world reeling.
Leo DeVries is one of the highest rated prospects traded at the deadline in a while.
— Céspedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) July 31, 2025
Rankings:
Pipeline: 3
BA: 5
FanGraphs: 21
JustBaseball: 7
The Athletic: 13
BP: 2
Mason Miller rules, but he's a reliever. Love this for Sac Town/Yolo County/Vegas who just got a potential star.
This trade will be referenced for the next decade: “we want a Mason Miller-type haul.” https://t.co/ZJkj9BEEJG
— Kiley McDaniel (@kileymcd) July 31, 2025
OH
— KutterIsKing (@KutterIsKing) July 31, 2025
Wow they gave up the farm
— EmpireJeff (@EmpireJeffTV) July 31, 2025
In 3 years the A’s will be the best team in the league
— Tatum Friar (@TatumFriar) July 31, 2025
The Padres must see enough weakness in the Dodgers to justify this move. Leo De Vries is the most significant Padres prospect since Fernando Tatis Jr.
— OldTimeHardball (@OleTimeHardball) July 31, 2025
nobody loves dumping top prospects like Preller 😭
— BINK🎯 (@therealbink1) July 31, 2025
Yes, this is a haul. But keep in mind…
— Danny Vietti (@DannyVietti) July 31, 2025
Mason Miller was originally promoted to the big leagues as a starting pitcher. He was only converted to a reliever for health reasons (not performance reasons).
Padres could have hopes of converting him back to a starter at a later time. https://t.co/eAr5QVLMwq
That haul for Mason Miller was .. wow
— Joe DeMayo (@PSLToFlushing) July 31, 2025
the A’s are actually trying to build something man. in two years nick kurtz, leodalis de vries and jacob wilson will be an unbelievable core
— casey at the deadline (@thebenchesclear) July 31, 2025
Mason Miller is a FUN arm. Only 26, and has lots of success in front of him. But Leo De Vries? That’s like trading away James Wood all over again…for a closer.
— Sam Fosberg (@discussbaseball) July 31, 2025
AJ Preller is the most insane GM in baseball😂 this dude is a straight MADMAN, for all you who don’t know, Leodalis De Vries is an 18 year old in high-A with some of the most insane tools in minor league baseball right now, a potential superstar in the making.
— Yankees Stats (@ChrisCoop_) July 31, 2025
Preller just… https://t.co/iCO1dEN4Fn
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as MLB Fans Stunned by Padres' Enormous Trade Package for Mason Miller, JP Sears.
