Ethan Salas’ season had enough twists to fill a career, and it ended with another milestone: the Padres catcher was named the organization’s hitting Prospect of the Year by MLB Pipeline on Oct. 7.
That recognition from Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo only underscores how far Salas has come since signing with San Diego in 2023 with a $5.6-million bonus as one of the most highly touted international prospects ever. He was pushed quickly through the system as a 17-year-old that same year, seeing action at Single-A Lake Elsinore, High-A Fort Wayne and Double-A San Antonio. Across 66 games, he hit .248 with a .752 OPS and 24 extra-base hits, a strong showing for such an aggressive climb.
The path after that was less smooth. Salas spent all of 2024 at Fort Wayne and hit .206 with a .599 OPS and four home runs in 111 games. Injuries then cut down his 2025 season to just 10 games at San Antonio, where he batted .188.
Everything swung back in 2026. In 96 games between San Antonio and Triple-A El Paso, Salas hit .296 with a .374 on-base percentage, a .448 slugging percentage and an .822 OPS. He added 19 doubles, 10 homers, 61 RBIs, 17 stolen bases and a 47-58 walk-strikeout ratio.
His progress carried him all the way to the majors on Sept. 2, when the Padres called him up. Salas quickly became a key part of the club’s late surge, as San Diego rolled through the final month, swept the Chicago Cubs in the Wild Card Series and then lost in four games to the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Divisional Series.
He also made a bit of history in the process. In Game Two of the Wild Card Series, Salas became the youngest catcher in MLB history to start a postseason game.
San Diego’s other minor-league honoree was right-hander Jesus A. Castro, who earned pitching Prospect of the Year honors from MLB Pipeline.
Castro, 19, is ranked 16th on MLB Pipeline’s Padres Top 30 prospects list. He made 22 appearances and 20 starts for the Single-A Lake Elsinore Storm, who won the California League championship on Sept.
- Signed out of Mexico for just $10,000 in January 2025, Castro finished 3-5 with a 4.18 ERA, 100 strikeouts and only three home runs allowed in 90.1 innings.
In Other News...
Padres Winter Reset Starts With One Priority They Cant Miss
After a late-season surge and a playoff run that ended with a loss to the Brewers in the NLDS, the Padres head into the winter with the same familiar question that follows every October disappointment: how much of the core can they keep together? Michael King gave San Diego exactly the kind of steadiness it needed on the mound when the games mattered most, and his presence stood out in multiple postseason outings as the pitching staff tried to carry the club deeper.
Kings performance gives the front office a clear starting point as it sorts through the offseason, especially with a roster that still needs dependable arms if it wants to build on this years momentum. Casey Mize, meanwhile, looks like the cleaner decision to move on from after an uneven stint with the club, leaving the Padres with one priority that feels hard to ignore if they want the winter reset to mean something. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Face A Familiar Free Agency Decision With Veteran Outfielder
The Padres could be in the market for outfield help again this offseason, and one possible path runs through a familiar name. Dustin Harris and Samad Taylor gave San Diego a useful platoon look in left field during the season, but the front office may still explore a more established option if it wants to deepen the group and add a player with a longer track record.
One candidate worth watching is Trent Grisham, the two-time Gold Glove outfielder who is set to reach free agency after his time with the Yankees. Grisham already knows the Padres organization well from his previous stint in San Diego, which makes him an especially intriguing fit if the club decides experience and familiarity matter as much as production in a crowded offseason market. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Face A Familiar Bullpen Decision With Jason Adam
Jason Adam has made it clear where hed like his next chapter to be, even as he heads into free agency after an injury-shortened season. The right-hander missed nearly three months with a right shoulder strain, but when he was available, he still gave the Padres dependable work in the late innings, finishing the regular season with a 2.62 ERA and pitching in the postseason.
For San Diego, it sets up a familiar bullpen question at a familiar time: how much value to place on a veteran reliever whose season was interrupted, but whose impact was still felt. Adam acknowledged the injuries could weigh on his market, yet his preference is straightforward, and the Padres now have to decide whether they want to bring back a pitcher who clearly wants to stay put. [Read more 🡒]