Ethan Salas Stats & Scouting Report

AB	412
AVG	.206
OBP	.288
SLG	.311
HR	4

Full name Ethan Salas
Born 06/01/2006 in Kissimmee, FL
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 185 / Bats: L / Throws: R

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade/Risk: 60/High.

Track Record: Salas was the top prospect in the 2023 international signing period and signed with the Padres for $5.6 million, the highest bonus in the class. He made his pro debut that season with Low-A Lake Elsinore a few days before turning 17 years old. The Padres promoted Salas to High-A Fort Wayne in August and then to Double-A San Antonio later that month. He spent all of 2024 with Fort Wayne, hitting .206/.288/.311 with 27 doubles and four home runs in 111 games before appearing in the Arizona Fall League.

Scouting Report: Salas stands almost upright in the box with a somewhat high handset and a low-maintenance, repeatable lefthanded swing. He has a slight barrel tip in his load and is a small strider with an appealing quickness and compactness to his swing. After a slow start to the season, he started to stand taller in the box, raised his hands and put more of an emphasis on working down and through the ball. What followed was a strong month of August in which he laced 11 doubles and hit two home runs. Salas has above-average bat-to-ball skills and a polished approach, working to all parts of the field. His home run power comes almost exclusively from center field to right. Salas’ calling card has long been his defense. He has soft hands, receives the ball well and does an excellent job of corralling pitches in the dirt. His transfers are ultra quick, and he has a comfortably plus, accurate arm. He has shown at a young age that he can both handle and lead pitching staffs.

The Future: If Salas doesn’t begin 2025 at Double-A San Antonio, he will get there in relatively short order. He could make his big league debut as soon as 2026. Salas profiles as a potential Gold Glove-caliber catcher with advanced offensive ability.

Scouting Grades Hit: 55 | Power: 50 | Run: 45 | Fielding: 70 | Arm: 60
BA Grade: 70/Very High

Track Record: The Padres had $5.8 million to spend in the 2023 international signing class and they gave almost all of it--$5.6 million, tops among all international bonuses last year--to Salas. He is a rare five-tool catcher and a third-generation talent from one of his country’s best-known baseball families. Salas landed on the Padres’ radar while they courted his older brother Jose, who signed with the Marlins for $2.8 million in 2019, and they expected him to move quickly given his bloodlines, familiarity with professional baseball and pure talent. A sore throwing shoulder delayed the start of Salas’ pro debut season in 2023, but the Padres still assigned him to Low-A Lake Elsinore in late May while he was still a few days shy of his 17th birthday. A 16-year-old playing in full-season ball is exceedingly rare. The only others in recent history are Adrian Beltre in 1996 and Edgar Renteria in 1993, two players who, it was later learned, were illegally signed at age 15. Salas hit the ground running in the California League, winning the league’s player of the month award for July, which played into the Padres’ decision to aggressively promote him to High-A Fort Wayne in early August. Salas put up just a .472 OPS in nine games, but the Padres believed in his makeup and skill enough to promote him to Double-A San Antonio well before the Midwest League season ended. The move kept Salas developing alongside the organization’s next wave of talent. A knee sprain ended Salas’ season after nine games in the Texas League, but he should be ready by spring training.

Scouting Report: Salas boasts a quick, compact swing and keeps his barrel in the hitting zone for a long time. He doesn’t yet have the raw power that Francisco Alvarez or Gary Sanchez showed as prospects, but he was already taking 97 mph fastballs over the wall as a teenager during his pro debut and is easy to project for more over-the-fence pop as he matures. Salas also already shows the ability to make adjustments on the fly. For example, he got back in the zone for a standout July after chasing early in his stay in Lake Elsinore. That’s an excellent profile for a corner outfielder, but what makes Salas’ potential even greater is that he’s an excellent defensive catcher for his age, showcasing soft hands, athletic blocking ability and outstanding receiving and exchanges. He also has a slightly above-average arm that should tick up to at least plus with natural strength progression. His arm already plays up because of his efficient transfer and release, leading to pop times under 1.9 seconds on throws to second base. Salas’ maturity showed as he emerged as a proactive partner in game-planning with older pitchers after getting his legs under him in pro ball.

The Future: The Padres’ unquestioned catcher of the future--and perhaps sooner than many realize--Salas is a superstar in the making who could one day earn MVP votes, a la Buster Posey, for his ability to impact the game with his bat, defense and leadership skills with a pitching staff. n

Scouting Grades Hit: 60 | Power: 60 | Run: 45 | Field: 70 | Arm: 60
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme

Track Record: The younger brother of Marlins shortstop prospect Jose Salas, Ethan has a remarkable combination of tools, polish and game awareness for his age. He's in the conversation for the best pure hitter in the class, with a lefthanded swing that's quick, compact and adjustable, keeping his barrel through the hitting zone for a long time.

Scouting Report: He stays calm in the box with good rhythm and balance, recognizing pitches well with a mature approach that leads to frequent barrels and makes him a high on-base threat. Salas doesn't have the raw power that Francisco Alvarez or Gary Sanchez showed when they were amateurs, but as he's gotten stronger, he is showing more over-the-fence pop with the physical projection to grow into average or potentially more power. That would be a good profile for even a corner outfielder, but what makes Salas' potential even greater is that he's an excellent defensive catcher for his age. Salas is an athletic catcher whose blocking, receiving and throwing mechanics are all exemplary for his age, with a slightly above-average arm that should tick up to at least a 60 with natural strength progression. His arm already plays up because of his efficient transfer and release, leading to pop times under 1.9 seconds in games.

The Future: Salas should make his pro debut in the DSL in 2023.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 55. Power: 45. Speed: 40. Fielding: 60. Arm: 55

Top 100 Rankings

Scouting Reports

BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme

Track Record: The younger brother of Marlins shortstop prospect Jose Salas, Ethan has a remarkable combination of tools, polish and game awareness for his age. He's in the conversation for the best pure hitter in the class, with a lefthanded swing that's quick, compact and adjustable, keeping his barrel through the hitting zone for a long time.

Scouting Report: He stays calm in the box with good rhythm and balance, recognizing pitches well with a mature approach that leads to frequent barrels and makes him a high on-base threat. Salas doesn't have the raw power that Francisco Alvarez or Gary Sanchez showed when they were amateurs, but as he's gotten stronger, he is showing more over-the-fence pop with the physical projection to grow into average or potentially more power. That would be a good profile for even a corner outfielder, but what makes Salas' potential even greater is that he's an excellent defensive catcher for his age. Salas is an athletic catcher whose blocking, receiving and throwing mechanics are all exemplary for his age, with a slightly above-average arm that should tick up to at least a 60 with natural strength progression. His arm already plays up because of his efficient transfer and release, leading to pop times under 1.9 seconds in games.

The Future: Salas should make his pro debut in the DSL in 2023.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 55. Power: 45. Speed: 40. Fielding: 60. Arm: 55
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme

Track Record: The younger brother of Marlins shortstop prospect Jose Salas, Ethan has a remarkable combination of tools, polish and game awareness for his age. He's in the conversation for the best pure hitter in the class, with a lefthanded swing that's quick, compact and adjustable, keeping his barrel through the hitting zone for a long time.

Scouting Report: He stays calm in the box with good rhythm and balance, recognizing pitches well with a mature approach that leads to frequent barrels and makes him a high on-base threat. Salas doesn't have the raw power that Francisco Alvarez or Gary Sanchez showed when they were amateurs, but as he's gotten stronger, he is showing more over-the-fence pop with the physical projection to grow into average or potentially more power. That would be a good profile for even a corner outfielder, but what makes Salas' potential even greater is that he's an excellent defensive catcher for his age. Salas is an athletic catcher whose blocking, receiving and throwing mechanics are all exemplary for his age, with a slightly above-average arm that should tick up to at least a 60 with natural strength progression. His arm already plays up because of his efficient transfer and release, leading to pop times under 1.9 seconds in games.

The Future: Salas should make his pro debut in the DSL in 2023.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 55. Power: 45. Speed: 40. Fielding: 60. Arm: 55