The Padres are calling up high catching prospect Ethan Salas, stories Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune. Salas, who turned 20 in June, would be the youngest participant within the massive leagues. Assuming he makes a defensive look, he’ll even be the youngest MLB catcher since Iván Rodríguez debuted as a 19-year-old in 1991.
It’s the fruits of a implausible rebound season. Salas was a marquee worldwide prospect who signed for a $5.6MM bonus as the highest participant within the 2023 class. Though he was born in Florida, Salas spent a part of his childhood in Venezuela and signed out of Latin America as an beginner. He had performed one recreation within the Venezuelan Winter League earlier than signing with the Padres, a uncommon feat for a participant who was then 16 years previous.
That hinted at how polished the lefty-hitting Salas was on either side of the ball. San Diego tends to be aggressive with their high prospects and had pushed him to Double-A inside a pair months of his seventeenth birthday. That proved too bold, and Salas spent your complete 2024 season (his age-18 marketing campaign) again in Excessive-A.
Salas struggled that 12 months, hitting .206 with 4 residence runs in 111 video games. He misplaced many of the 2025 season to a again harm. That barely dimmed his prospect inventory, although it paradoxically may’ve been the most effective end result for the Padres in the long term. The again harm all however ensured that Salas wouldn’t be moved on the ’25 deadline. San Diego wound up giving up high shortstop prospect Leo De Vries to accumulate Mason Miller final summer time and despatched Salas again to Double-A to open 2026.
Wholesome once more, Salas has reestablished himself as top-of-the-line younger skills within the sport. He hit .286/.361/.417 throughout 72 contests to earn a bump to Triple-A El Paso on the finish of July. Salas hasn’t had any drawback with the highest minor league stage, batting .326/.410/.539 with extra walks than strikeouts throughout 24 video games.
Baseball America, FanGraphs, Kiley McDaniel of ESPN and Keith Legislation of The Athletic every rank Salas as the sport’s high catching prospect and among the many high 15 minor league skills. MLB Pipeline slots Salas twenty third total and fourth amongst backstops. He’s unanimously considered because the marquee expertise in an in any other case unimpressive Padres’ system.
Evaluators are effusive of their reward for Salas’ defensive acumen. There’s slightly extra query concerning the offensive ceiling, notably from an influence perspective, however he has proven a complicated method with wonderful contact skill this 12 months.
San Diego is making a large present of religion in calling Salas up in a decent Wild Card race. They’ve gotten respectable work out of the Luis Campusano and Freddy Fermin duo within the second half, although each gamers have slumped within the final couple weeks. It’s unclear how a lot fast taking part in time they’ll give Salas, however the Padres might’ve recalled Blake Hunt or Rodolfo Durán in the event that they wished a pure depth catcher to spherical out the bench.
Salas provides a left-handed bat to an offense that misplaced Gavin Sheets and the switch-hitting Luis Rengifo over the weekend. That’d present some stability off a closely right-handed bench even when Salas breaks in because the third catcher. He’ll have a number of weeks to make a case for a possible playoff roster if San Diego qualifies and/or an Opening Day spot in 2027. The Friars might want to choose his contract however can simply accommodate him by transferring Rengifo to the 60-day injured listing, as he’s slated for ACL surgical procedure. They’ll additionally be capable of convey up a 14th pitcher for September.
Regardless of the late-season name, Salas will stay rookie eligible in 2027 and will internet the Padres a future draft decide by way of the Prospect Promotion Incentive if he breaks camp and meets the award standards (i.e. Rookie of the 12 months or a high three MVP end inside his first three seasons). He’ll be underneath membership management for at the very least six full seasons and received’t qualify for arbitration till the 2029-30 offseason on the earliest.
The larger roster consideration is that the Padres are choosing Salas onto the 40-man roster a 12 months sooner than would’ve been essential to hold him out of the Rule 5 draft. Meaning he’ll be topic to a possible lockout and can be ineligible for minor league play if the work stoppage carries into subsequent season.
Picture courtesy of Joe Camporeale, Imagn Photographs.
