Padres Fans Will Be Very Happy About Ethan Salas' Time in AAA So Far

The San Diego Padres have been extremely encouraged by the recent play from top prospect Ethan Salas in Triple-A.

Salas was promoted to Triple-A at the end of July, and since then he's been on a tear. So far, the catcher is hitting .325 with three home runs, 25 RBIs and 12 walks drawn, with an OPS of .956 over 22 games played.

His performance has started a narrative around whether the Padres should call him up to the big leagues. It's been reported that San Diego has been debating whether they want to bring him to the club before the regular season ends.

Padres manager Craig Stammen has left the door open for Salas to be called up, but whether the team pulls the trigger remains to be seen.

“He’s definitely capable of being a major-league player at any point, and that will be a decision for the organization as we go forward,” Stammen said. “But I think right now, him having not played a full season for a while, we got to continue to go on that path. And although we’re really excited about him, you know, continue to stay patient, especially with our catching situation in the big leagues right now.”

Should the Padres Bring Ethan Salas to MLB?

The biggest case for bringing Salas up would be to get him some reps at the big-league level. Salas is seen as the team's catcher of the future, and since he's been dominating at Triple-A, the Padres may as well give him a shot.

This could allow the Padres to see how Salas does with the speed of the major leagues, giving him an opportunity to show out. The team could then potentially make him the starting catcher heading into next season if he were to play well.

If San Diego wanted Salas to be eligible for the playoffs, assuming they could get in, he would need to be on the 40-man roster ahead of Sept. 1. Salas could enter into a catching trio with Luis Campusano and Freddy Fermin.

Both players have done well for the Padres this year, with Campusano especially putting together an impressive campaign So far, he has hit .287 with five home runs, 23 RBIs and an OPS of .862.

Salas could add more offense to the Padres roster for the stretch run, giving them a boost to get into the playoffs. Additionally, seeing how he fares when the lights are brightest could offer the Padres a glimpse into his mentality.

But on the flip side, this isn't a regular offseason coming up around baseball. With the lockout likely coming, if Salas is on the 40-man roster, the team wouldn't be able to contact him at all.

This has reportedly been part of the Padres' hesitation to bring Salas up ahead of the postseason.

Overall, there aren't many downsides to giving Salas his break in the major leagues over the final month of the season. However, the Padres' brass is weighing everything, and if he continues to perform at such a high level, they may have no choice but to give him a shot.

Add us as a preferred source on Google