Jonny DeLuca is a local boy from Agoura Hills, California that has rounded into the prospect that every club wants. He’s hit for average, has massive power, steals a lot of bases, and has a background in the sport of track that has highlighted his elite athletic ability.

Featured Image courtesy of Tim Campbell/MiLB

Two-Sport Star

DeLuca was a multi-sport standout at Agoura Hills High School, where he played baseball, ran the 100 meters, and was a championship-caliber long jumper. He made staying in top shape and keeping his speed a top priority, and the combination of track and baseball offered him multiple avenues to do all of that as well as to use his elite athletic ability.

As a Junior, he had the longest jump in the Southern Sectionals, trained with some of the best track stars in the world, and was coached by Olympic-caliber instructors.

I had a lot of fun in High School. Obviously, baseball was the priority for me, but track was always a sport that helped me stay in shape and stay fast. One of the best long jumpers in the Country, Tara Davis,  went to my High School and her dad was actually my long jump coach, so he really helped me. Track was just something that helped get my mind off of baseball, and stay in shape, and, looking back, I’m definitely glad I did it, and it was a lot of fun.

Although DeLuca was a standout on the track, he stood out the most on the baseball diamond and knew from an early age that it was going to provide him with a lot of opportunities. During his time at AHS, the 2 sport star was a 4-year letterman, two-time team captain, the 29th-ranked overall prospect, and the fifth-ranked outfielder in California as ranked by Perfect Game. 

DeLuca used his speed to set an Agoura Hills record in stolen bases as a Senior when he swiped 26 bags, and he was the team leader in steals with the Great Lakes Loons this year when he got promoted.

So, he’s not just fast, he knows how to use it. 

He made the ABCA/Rawlings All-Region 8 team, was first-team All-Marmonte league, and also became a second-team Perfect Game Underclassmen All-America during time at Agoura. The personal awards were great, but what he’s most proud of is the fact that he also helped his team win League championships in each of his first 3 years in High School.

So, beyond his physical tools, he has also proven to be a winner

DeLuca’s dual-sport achievements got him noticed enough to get drafted in the 39th round of the 2017 draft by the Minnesota Twins, an offer, however, he turned down. He chose, instead, to go to upstart Oregon and join a baseball program that had just recently been reinstated after being discontinued for almost 3 decades.

Oregon started baseball back up in 2009, and by 2010 won 40 games under legendary coach George Horton who, alongside Augie Garrido, helped build Cal State Fullerton into a national power. The Ducks offered the Agoura Hills native very early, and it was an offer that DeLuca accepted before his Freshman year of High School.

Making that decision was kind of a crazy thing because I was so young. Going into my Freshman year of High School Horton saw me at a Perfect Game tournament and they were kind of the first college that showed interest in me, and, obviously, being Pac 12, Oregon, Nike and everything and being a new startup it was kind of a shock to me. It was one of those things that, as a 15 year old, it was very, very exciting and my parents and I talked and we knew it wasn’t going to get too much better than that, so I was excited with the decision I made and I’m very glad I went there.

On To Oregon

DeLuca started or played in all 111 games during his 2 years with the Ducks, and made a splash almost immediately when he set the freshman record for home runs, recorded the 2nd most RBIs on the team as a Freshman, and was 3rd in stolen bases in his first year as a Duck.

In his 2nd year as a Duck, as a draft-eligible Sophomore in 2019, he proved once again to be a top-notch prospect after he was placed on the honorable mention All-Defensive Team in the Pac 12, after posting a .979 fielding percentage.

DeLuca got drafted again, this time by the Dodgers, his hometown team,  in the 25th Round of the 2019 draft.

Division I baseball players usually have to wait until after their Junior years, but because DeLuca was already 21, he was eligible for the draft after his Sophomore year and signed.

Yeah, I mean, going into college, like most people, I wanted to play professional baseball, so I talked to my parents and I talked to my agent and it was a great opportunity and this is what I wanted to do with my life and as a career and the Dodgers drafted me and they are my hometown team, so that was really cool. It kind of all lined up, so yeah, it was a pretty easy decision, and I waited until the deadline because of the negotiation process, but, I’m really glad I made the decision I did.

From Duck to Dodger

DeLuca had 73 at-bats in the Dodgers system in 2019 after being drafted, then, after the 2020 season got canceled, started 2021 in Low A Rancho Cucamonga before being moved to Great Lakes in July. He hit .287 with the Quakes and had 15 home runs which is a home run every 14.9 at-bats, a pace that put him at the top of the list of power potential prospects. His .287 average combined with his on-base percentage of .376 showed that he could hit for average and get on base consistently as well to round out his potential as an offensive player that could do it all.

2022 showed more of the same for the multi-tooled outfielder, as he started in Great Lakes, then got moved to Tulsa in early July. While he was with the Loons he led them in stolen bases and home runs, and then hit .298 with an on-base percentage of .359 with Tulsa.

He, once again, proved himself to be the complete offensive package with a rare combination of skills that allows him to beat a defense in every way imaginable.

Feature Cut

To give a full understanding of just how versatile and athletic DeLuca is, the first video in this feature cut is of him recording the longest long jump in the Southern Sectionals in High School at over 10 feet.

Puts Pressure on the Defense

To illustrate the kind of pressure he puts on a defense, the next video includes a double that lands in front of the center fielder, and a triple that was hit into the left-center field gap and wasn’t misplayed.

A couple of things to note.

For either of these to be possible he had to be in full stride out of the box and, then, also, very fast.

Oppo Power

One of the unique aspects of DeLuca is the amount of opposite-field power he has. He does not have to spin off of inside pitches to hit pull-side home runs to generate power. He can let the ball get deep and let his hands and the simplicity of his swing do the work. This is one of the biggest reasons why he has such great potential to be both a great hitter and a power hitter all in one.

Check out the 2nd home run in this video where he is fooled, and just throws the barrel at the ball, hits it on the end of the bat, but still generates enough power to hit an opposite-field home run. When hitters can make this kind of contact when their timing is not perfect, they have the chance to be very special.

Turn on the Ball 

Make no mistake though, DeLuca can cover the inside part of the plate as well as the top of the zone, and when he does, the ball goes a long way.

Bottom of the Zone

DeLuca can also cover the bottom of the zone and with power, so here is a video that shows that all in one.

Great Hitter First

But, as stated earlier, he is not just a power hitter, he also flashes the ability to be a great hitter as well. His swing has such simple movements to it, and it so “quiet” that he’s able to let the ball get deep and hit it where it’s pitched and to all fields.

Speed to Burn

With the speed DeLuca possesses, you can only imagine the ground he covers in the outfield, which is significant, but, he also has a good, accurate throwing arm as well and has great mechanics working through the ball to field it and get in great position to make a throw.

Making A Dream Come True

Deluca grew up in the LA area, so becoming a Dodger has always been a dream, and it has come true. He has always had elite athletic ability, tools that give him the chance to do just about anything on a baseball field, and a work process that has maximized it all. His ability to hit for power, average, then get on base and steal bases is one that not many players have, at least to his caliber, so, he is squarely on a crash course for LA as long as he stays on the same trajectory he is on now.

In finishing, I’d like to say thank you very much to Johnny for joining for an interview, and congratulations on being placed on the 40-man roster. I would also like to thank Johnny for allowing me to tell his story. It was an honor and a privilege to get to know this young man and to get to speak with him and I will be rooting for him all along the way.