Ethan Salas is heading to the big leagues.
The San Diego Padres selected the contract of the 20-year-old Puerto Rican and Venezuelan American catcher fromTriple-A El Paso on Tuesday, making him the youngest active player in the major leagues.
If Salas appears behind the plate, he’ll be the youngest catcher in the MLB since Ivan Rodriguez, who was 19 when he debuted with the Texas Rangers on June 20, 1991.
“He’s a very mature kid and a very smart kid,” Padres manager Craig Stammen said. “He’s been around big-league camp the last few years so, you know, he’s gotten a taste of what it’s like to be around the guys and compete in spring training with the best players.”
Salas, who signed with the Padres in 2023 for a record $5.6 million bonus as a top international prospect, has progressed quickly through their minor league system despite a back injury that caused him to miss most of the 2025 season.
“It hasn’t just been a steady climb to the major leagues,” Stammen said. “There’s been some ups and downs, some injuries, some not playing great. He has turned it around and had a great season this year. He has earned it, that’s probably the coolest part.”
The Padres’ top prospect batted .286 with seven home runs, and 37 RBIs in 72 games this year at Double-A. After being promoted to Triple-A on July 29, Salas hit .326 with three homers and 24 RBIs.
Salas caught Padres pitchers Joe Musgrove and Nick Pivetta during minor-league rehab starts this year.
“They had rave reviews about how Ethan caught them and how he handled them,” Stammen said. “It’s just another check mark, another thing we can say we feel good about Ethan coming up and being able to catch our staff.”
The Padres play the second game of a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night at Great American Ball Park. They began the day with a half-game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks for the third NL wild-card spot.
