The Los Angeles Dodgers have one of the oldest rosters in Major League Baseball.

While they possess one of the most talented rosters, age is certainly not on their side. The Dodgers are loaded with veteran talent, but even with that being the case, they have one of the best farm systems in the league as well.

One of the top names in that farm system is outfielder Josue De Paula. De Paula is certainly in line to be called up sooner rather than later and make his mark at the big-league level.

De Paula is widely regarded as the next mega-prospect for the Dodgers, and former player-turned-executive Jason Heyward has loved what he's seen from the top prospect.

Heyward recently revealed De Paula's track to eventually becoming a big-league player.

“A lot of the conversations for us, to him as an organization, are, ‘Hey, you’ve earned these things. You’ve earned the attention. You’ve earned the hype, so to speak,’” Heyward said to The Athletic. “But we want to show him the things that are going to help along the way. Next thing you know, you get a call.”

De Paula, 21, signed with the Dodgers as an international free agent in 2022 and has established himself as one of the best prospects in MLB.

He's spent the 2026 season with the Dodgers' Double-A affiliate, the Tulsa Drillers. In 121 games, De Paula has a .303 batting average with a .943 OPS, 26 home runs, 101 RBIs and 148 hits in 489 at-bats.

Can Josue De Paula Be Ready for the Dodgers by 2027?

De Paula is currently ranked as the No. 1 prospect on the team. According to MLB.com, De Paula is expected to make his MLB debut in 2027.

The 21-year-old has impressed Heyward, but the former outfielder knows talent is only part of the equation. His focus now is making sure De Paula is prepared for the mental side of the game.

“I think it’s just more about making him aware of what it looks like, what it feels like,” Heyward said. “Give him something else to go off of. Because it’s one thing for anyone to hear, ‘Hey, this should look like this’ or ‘This is what’s been asked of you.’ I think it’s more of what we can do to show him and allow him to feel like this is what this rep looks like. … This is how this is going to feel. This is how your routine is going to feel.

“The same way you do when you get in the box, and you go prepare for a day, these are parts of your day you’re gonna value over time.”

Heyward has served as a special assistant in the Dodgers' baseball operations department over the last four months.

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