Padres’ Salas Raises Questions About San Diego’s Future Plans

WHO:

MLB.com - The San Diego Padres’ top prospect, catcher Ethan Salas, joined the major-league club after a strong Minor League season.

MLB.com - General manager A.J. Preller said Salas “will be in the mix” and that his role would be decided through competition; “nobody’s going to be guaranteed anything.”

MLB.com - Padres catchers Freddy Fermin and Luis Campusano are arbitration-eligible. Preller identified Fermin as a possible trade candidate.

MLB.com - Manager Craig Stammen and Preller addressed the team’s offseason decisions at an end-of-season press conference.

MLB.com - Padres owners Kwanza Jones and José E. Feliciano said they were “all-in” and pledged to earn fans’ trust through their decisions and work with team leadership.

Razzball - Dodgers prospect Josue De Paula is a 21-year-old left-handed outfielder listed at 6-foot-3 and 185 pounds.

WHAT:

MLB.com - Salas hit .296/.374/.448 between Double-A San Antonio and Triple-A El Paso, then batted .256 with a .737 OPS in 16 regular-season major-league games.

MLB.com - Salas hit two home runs in one game in Colorado and caught three postseason games. He became the youngest big-league catcher since Ivan Rodriguez and the youngest catcher to play in a postseason game.

MLB.com - Preller said the Padres could use a three-catcher system, calling the catcher group a “healthy competition.”

MLB.com - San Diego reached the postseason in each of three consecutive seasons, winning more than 90 games in each, but was eliminated before the end of the NL Division Series each time.

MLB.com - The Padres’ rotation outlook includes Randy Vásquez as the only guaranteed returnee; Michael King may opt out, and the club holds a team option on Nick Pivetta. Walker Buehler, Robbie Ray, Casey Mize and Lucas Giolito are free agents; Yu Darvish is considering retirement, and Joe Musgrove’s role is uncertain.

MLB.com - Free agents Ty France and Adrian Morejon said they want to return to San Diego.

Razzball - De Paula recorded 27 home runs, 81 walks and 87 strikeouts in 124 Double-A games. He reached base at a .500 rate in 42 major-league plate appearances.

WHERE:

MLB.com - Salas played in the Minor Leagues for San Antonio and El Paso and appeared in a major-league game in Colorado. The Padres are based in San Diego.

Razzball - De Paula played Double-A baseball in Oklahoma City.

WHEN:

MLB.com - Salas was signed in 2023 as the sport’s top international prospect and was called up when major-league rosters expanded in September.

Razzball - De Paula’s profile lists him as 21 and in MLB in 2026.

WHY:

MLB.com - The Padres promoted Salas to help the team immediately and add depth and a left-handed bat; the experience was an additional benefit.

MLB.com - Preller said San Diego must improve after its postseason elimination, when its offense went cold and its pitching staff was depleted.

HOW:

MLB.com - The Padres plan to build a championship-level rotation through free agency, trades and player development.

Razzball - The Dodgers kept De Paula on the bench during their postseason series; Razzball noted the club could send him to Triple-A or use him if an injury creates an opening.

Padres prospect Ethan Salas has joined San Diego after batting .296 across Double-A and Triple-A, then hitting .256 in 16 major-league games; he also caught three postseason games and homered twice in one game in Colorado. General manager A.J. Preller says Salas will compete for a role, with a possible three-catcher setup, while San Diego weighs roster changes after three straight postseason exits and plans to build its rotation through free agency, trades and player development. Dodgers prospect Josue De Paula hit 27 homers and reached base at a .500 rate in 42 major-league plate appearances, though Los Angeles kept the 21-year-old outfielder on the bench during its postseason series.