Joseph Deng Thon is the most interesting prospect in Major League Baseball. Well, technically speaking, Minor League Baseball.
The 17-year-old pitcher already pumps 97 miles per hour with his fastball!
Deng became the first player from South Sudan to sign a professional baseball contract when he inked a deal with the Dodgers back in January. His potential is limitless but there is still a very long way to go before he becomes a legitimate option on the mound. Los Angeles hopes to develop him into a certified starter over the next five-to-eight years. There is no rush considering his age.
Even though a long baseball journey is ahead of him, Deng is already making progress. He was throwing off of a janky backyard mound in Africa as recently as seven months ago.
Video started to emerge out of South Sudan at the end of 2024. Joseph Deng showed impressive form for someone who only started pitching in the last few years.
His fastball reportedly hovered around 95-97 miles per hour so the Dodgers decided to take a chance. They sent him to the Dominican Summer League at the beginning of the season to get acclimated to a higher level of competition and he looked every bit the part.
Deng is not only focused on his technique. The 17-year-old will need to add weight to his frame with help from a professional strength and conditioning staff. He arrived to the United States at 6-foot-7, 180 pounds. It would be best for him to be pitching at closer to 220 by the time he reaches the Bigs, if possible. His ability as a pitcher will greatly improve when he adds weight to his lanky frame.
In the meantime, Deng recently arrived to Los Angeles’ rookie ball facility. The latest video highlight shows that he is already much improved from where he was at the beginning of the year.
I do not expect to see Joseph Deng pitch in the Majors for at least five years. He may not even get a real shot on the upper-MiLB level before then. However, there are very few scouting and development departments in MLB as good as the Dodgers. This slow-burn project could prove to be one of the coolest stories in baseball history if it works out!
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