The Ethan Salas Hype Train Has Slowed; How Long Will It Take To Reach San Diego?

The question might sound ridiculous, but it is justifiable given the subject's history: After three challenging minor league seasons, is Ethan Salas already a post-hype player?

Before answering, we need to define "post-hype." The term refers to a highly regarded prospect who fails to excel in his initial long-term exposure to the major leagues. He's not a bust at that point, but he has passed a mile marker on the road to bust status.

Salas is not a bust, mostly because he's not yet close to reaching the majors. But there are signs that he won't be a superstar right away when he is called up, either.

How can a player with Salas' tools already be losing luster? Just go back to all the shine he received after signing with San Diego.

Ethan Salas History
In January 2023, the Friars shoved all-in to land Salas, who was the top-ranked prospect in his international free-agent class. They agreed to a reported $5.6 million bonus with the then-16-year-old catcher from Venezuela. The team's bonus pool in that signing period was $5.825 million.

Salas was considered more than a worthy investment. He was a highly advanced player who came from a baseball family. In fact, he played professionally even before signing, appearing in a game for Zulia in the Venezuelan winter league in November 2022. He held his own, too, with two walks and no strikeouts in four plate appearances.

Padres scouting director Chris Kemp told MLB.com's Sam Dykstra after the signing that Salas was "kind of the total-package catcher." 

Not long after that, an anonymous scout told the New York Post's Jon Heyman that Salas would be "a 10-year All-Star" in MLB.

And, true to their organizational philosophy, the Padres didn't hesitate to put Salas on the fast track. It started in spring training when they had him catch a Yu Darvish bullpen session. 

That summer, they moved him all the way up to Double-A San Antonio. He spent two weeks there as a 17-year-old in August 2023. At that point, Salas was the newest member of a strong group of players to zoom through the Pads' system:

As expected, Salas' defense was ahead of his offense that first year, but the kid was still considered a special talent.

In 2024, Salas was assigned to High-A Fort Wayne. Again, the fielding was on point, but the hitting lagged.

That had Padres concerned, so much so that in July they brought Salas to San Diego to work with the major league staff on his swing, according to MLB.com. 

Still, Salas did enough that year to earn a trip to both the Futures Game and the Arizona Fall League.

His AFL numbers were OK: a .228/.327/.424 slash line and, more importantly, four homers in 107 PAs.

Based on that performance, the Padres bumped Salas back up to San Antonio for the start of the '25 season. Would San Diego be his next stop?

It would not. He appeared in just 10 games for the Missions before being diagnosed with a season-ending stress reaction in his back.

Ethan Salas' Minor League Hitting Statistics

Ethan Salas Scouting Report

Salas has the tools to be an impact big leaguer.

MLB Pipeline listed his hit tool at 45 (on the 20-to-80 scale), his power tool at 50, his field tool at 70, and his arm tool at 60. Based on those scores and his three-true-outcomes stats, he profiles as a defensive stud with a good eye at the plate and power potential. He's listed at 6-1 and 185 pounds, but he's bound to add weight, and maybe height, in the next few years.

He enters 2026 as No. 2 in Padres Mission's prospect rankings and No. 77 in MLB Pipeline's Top 100. That last number feels low given his talent.

Ethan Salas Timetable
Even though he barely played in 2025, Salas could still be rushed to the majors next year. The Padres' catching at the upper levels is that thin.

Freddy Fermin, a deadline pickup last July, was the club's No. 1 receiver at the time of publication. He slashed .244/.278/.339 (70 OPS+) with two home runs in 139 plate appearances for San Diego. His backup, Luis Campusano --- a good example of a post-hype player --- spent much of last season at Triple-A El Paso. He's out of minor league options.

If Salas stays healthy and shows enough progress early on, the president of baseball operations, A.J. Preller, could be tempted to promote him around midseason.

For now, however, the Pads are taking things slowly. In mid-November, Preller told reporters (per the Union-Tribune) at the MLB general managers' meetings in Las Vegas that Salas has resumed baseball activities and is "looking 100 percent," but the organization is "kind of weighing" whether he should play winter ball or focus on getting ready for spring training.

If Salas does skip winter ball and returns around Opening Day, he'll have missed close to a year of high-intensity reps. Even an aggressive club such as the Padres might have to practice some patience.

And while Salas won't be a bust by that point, the hype train will be slowing down further.

Interested in learning more about the San Diego Padres' top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!