Josue De Paula Named Texas League MVP After Historic Dodgers Season

Josue De Paula’s dominant season with Double-A Tulsa has officially earned him the Texas League’s highest individual honor.

The 21-year-old Dodgers outfielder was named the 2026 Texas League Most Valuable Player after leading one of the most productive lineups in Minor League Baseball.

De Paula batted .303 with a .401 on-base percentage and .547 slugging percentage across 124 games for the Drillers. He finished with 152 hits, 37 doubles, 27 home runs, 104 RBIs, 106 runs scored and 31 stolen bases before the Dodgers promoted him directly from Double-A on September 11.

He led the Texas League in hits, RBIs and runs while tying for the league lead in doubles.

The award recognizes the season that convinced the Dodgers De Paula was ready to bypass Triple-A and face Major League pitching during a pennant race.

De Paula Made Tulsa History

De Paula became only the second player in Drillers history to finish a season with at least 100 RBIs and 100 runs scored.

Carlos Peña was the first to accomplish the feat in 2000, when Tulsa was affiliated with the Texas Rangers.

De Paula also became the fourth Tulsa player to win the Texas League MVP award. He joins Bubba Smith in 1996, Ryan Shealy in 2004 and Matt Beaty in 2017.

His production extended well beyond the traditional power numbers.

De Paula combined 27 home runs and 37 doubles with 31 stolen bases, demonstrating the power-speed potential that has made him one of baseball’s highest-rated prospects.

He also reached base at a .401 clip while facing Double-A pitching for the first full season of his career.

That overall offensive profile separated him in a league featuring several highly regarded prospects.

Dodgers’ Aggressive Promotion Has Been Rewarded

The Dodgers did not give De Paula an opportunity to finish the season at Triple-A.

They moved him directly from Tulsa to Los Angeles after Shohei Ohtani was placed on the injured list, creating regular opportunities at designated hitter and in the corner outfield.

The jump has not appeared to overwhelm him.

De Paula reached base 18 times through his first 38 Major League plate appearances, producing a .286/.474/.500 batting line with three doubles and his first career home run.

Perhaps the most encouraging part of that early production has been his strike-zone control.

De Paula drew 10 walks while striking out only four times through his first 10 Major League games. That is an unusually disciplined start for a 21-year-old who had never taken a Triple-A at-bat.

Major League pitchers will continue adjusting to him, and 38 plate appearances remain a small sample. But the approach that helped De Paula dominate the Texas League has translated during his initial opportunity with the Dodgers.

Tulsa’s Outfield Dominated The Texas League

De Paula was not the only Tulsa outfielder recognized.

Mike Sirota and Zyhir Hope joined him on the Texas League All-Star team, giving the Drillers all three outfield selections.

Sirota was recently promoted to Triple-A Oklahoma City after reaching base in 72 consecutive games. Hope spent most of the season with Tulsa before being traded to Detroit as part of the deal that brought Tarik Skubal to Los Angeles.

Jake Gelof was selected as the league’s All-Star designated hitter, Nick Robertson earned a place as a relief pitcher and Eric Wedge was named Texas League Manager of the Year.

Wedge led Tulsa to an 88-50 record, the most wins in franchise history. The Drillers also reached the postseason after winning the first-half division title.

De Paula was the centerpiece of that success before receiving his promotion.

Award Arrives As De Paula Contributes In Los Angeles

Minor League awards are often announced after a player’s season has ended or after attention has shifted toward the following year.

De Paula’s award feels more immediate because he is already contributing to the Dodgers.

His Texas League performance demonstrated that he could combine power, speed and patience across a full season. His first 38 Major League plate appearances have offered an early indication that those skills can translate against better competition.

There will still be adjustments.

The Dodgers have challenged De Paula to continue improving defensively and become a complete player rather than relying exclusively on his bat. Major League pitchers will also begin attacking any weaknesses they identify as more video and data become available.

None of that diminishes what De Paula accomplished in Tulsa.

He entered the season as one of the Dodgers’ most important prospects, produced one of the best seasons in Drillers history and reached the majors at only 21 years old.

The Texas League MVP award does more than recognize De Paula’s performance in Double-A. It confirms why the Dodgers believed his bat was ready for a much larger stage.