Padres call up 20-year-old top prospect

The San Diego Padres are calling up top prospect Ethan Salas as rosters expand for September, giving the 20-year-old catcher his first opportunity in the major leagues during the club’s playoff push.

Salas will join the Padres on Tuesday ahead of the second game of their three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds after San Diego opened the set with a 5-0 win Monday night.

The Padres are calling up the highly regarded catcher with a 73-65 record, tied with the Arizona Diamondbacks for second place in the NL West and 9.5 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Kevin Acee first reported the promotion late Monday night on X, formerly Twitter, underscoring the club’s decision to bring one of its top young players to the majors.

“Padres to call up 20-year-old catcher Ethan Salas”

The left-handed hitter has bounced back from a difficult 2025 season, batting .286 with a .361 on-base percentage and .417 slugging percentage, along with seven home runs over 72 games with Double-A San Antonio. The Padres promoted Salas to Triple-A El Paso on July 29, where he continued his strong season by hitting .326 with a .949 OPS over the last 24 games.

The move gives the Padres a third catcher and another left-handed bat after injuries reduced their options from that side of the plate. Acee reported that it remains unclear when Salas will catch, though he is expected to receive at-bats during the playoff push. His presence could also allow Luis Campusano to spend more time at the designated hitter spot.

The promotion also starts Salas’ major-league service time and 40-man roster clock, marking an important step in the Padres’ long-term plans for one of the organization’s most highly regarded young players.

He also has a chance to become the youngest player to catch in a major-league game since Ivan Rodriguez did so at 19 in 1991.