The San Diego Padres are promoting 20-year-old catching prospect Ethan Salas as major league rosters expand, positioning him to become the youngest player in the big leagues and the youngest catcher to appear in an MLB game since 1991, according to reports from Kevin Acee.
Ethan Salas Joins the Padres Roster for the Final Wild Card Push
The San Diego Padres are adding catching phenom Ethan Salas to their major league roster as rosters expand to 28 players for September, ESPN reported. Salas, who turned 20 in June, will step into a high-stakes environment as the club battles the Arizona Diamondbacks for the final National League wild card spot. The San Diego Union-Tribune first reported the impending promotion, which brings the organization’s top prospect to the majors ahead of the team’s series against the Cincinnati Reds.
Assuming he makes a defensive appearance, Salas will earn a rare historical distinction. Baseball researchers note he will be the youngest catcher to play in the major leagues since Hall of Famer Iván Rodríguez debuted at age 19 in 1991 for the Texas Rangers.
Rebounding Through the Minor Leagues After Injury Setbacks
The call-up caps a dramatic rebound season for a player whose professional trajectory has tested the organization’s patience and ambition. Salas signed as a marquee international prospect in 2023, commanding a $5.6MM bonus as the top player in his class. San Diego immediately placed the teenager on an aggressive development track, pushing him to Double-A within months of his 17th birthday.
That aggressive assignment proved difficult. Salas struggled through his 2024 campaign in High-A, posting a .206 batting average with four home runs across 111 games. His development hit another roadblock in 2025 when a back injury sidelined him for nearly the entire season. Yet, as quickly as Salas dropped on prospect boards, he climbed back up this year.
After opening 2026 back in Double-A, Salas hit .286/.361/.417 over 72 games to earn a promotion to Triple-A El Paso at the end of July. He dominated at the highest level of the minor leagues, batting .326 with a .949 OPS across 24 contests while drawing more walks than strikeouts.
Roster Crunch and Immediate Playing Time Expectations
San Diego faces specific roster constraints alongside the excitement of the promotion. The team recently lost switch-hitting Luis Rengifo to a torn ACL that requires surgery, alongside an injury to Gavin Sheets. The Friars can accommodate Salas on the 40-man roster by transferring Rengifo to the 60-day injured list.
While catchers Luis Campusano and Freddy Fermin have handled the bulk of the catching duties and formed a solid second-half tandem, both players have experienced slumps over the past two weeks. Bringing up Salas gives the Padres a left-handed bat off the bench and a third catcher. The club expects to deploy Salas in plate appearances off the bench and in a part-time role at designated hitter, allowing Campusano more flexibility to rest or pinch-hit.
Evaluators across the sport remain unified in praising Salas’ defensive acumen behind the plate, while his advanced approach and contact ability have erased doubts about his bat. Despite joining the major league club in September, Salas will retain his rookie eligibility for the 2027 season, giving the organization a potential long-term cornerstone as they navigate the stretch run.
