De Paula’s Big League Debut and Legacy | MLB News

0:00It's September 14th. This is MLB News today, powered by AI you're around the diamond update. I'm Cory with the story. JOSU DAPALA, a highly touted outfield prospect, made his major league debut this past Friday. He's the top ranked outfield prospect in baseball and number 6 on MLB Pipelines top 100 list. He got the call up to the majors directly from double A, a rare jump, and he's feeling a spot on the roster after Shohei, Ota Ni, went on the injured list. His father flew in from New York that morning to witness the moment, a culmination of years of support since Dapala was just 4 years old. He mentioned that his son seemed to have a natural talent for the game from birth, and the player's growth has been remarkable and unexpected. Dapala himself called his parents first when he learned he was headed to the big leagues. His childhood coach also made the trip, noting Dapala's humility and dedication to improving his game, despite the attention he's received as a top.

1:00Prospect Adding to the story, Dapala hid his first major league home run on Sunday, a three-run shot that he plans to give to his father. This achievement connects back to his father's roots in the Dominican Republic, where baseball was a passion his father couldn't pursue. Professionally, Dapala even spent time in the Dominican Republic during high school, training at an academy before signing with the Dodgers. He sees his success as an honor to his father and his Dominican heritage. A dream his grandmother also shared, seeing him fulfill what his father couldn't.