Padres Manager Noncommittal on Ethan Salas' Playing Time After Call-Up

After months of speculating when catcher Ethan Salas would get called up to the big leagues, the San Diego Padres' No. 1 prospect finally received a long-awaited call on Tuesday.

“It’s always nice to have someone that we signed and brought up through our system,” Padres manager Craig Stammen told reporters. “He’s done very well this year and has earned the opportunity to play in the big leagues. It’s a success story for the entire organization.”

The 20-year-old, who comes from a long line of minor league baseball players, said his favorite part of the call-up was the reaction from loved ones.

“I thought it was going to be more for me, but it’s more, like, enjoying it with the people you work so hard with every day,” Salas told reporters from the visitor's clubhouse in Cincinnati. “That would be my parents, my friends, my teammates. … Seeing their reaction was really the best part.”

First successful ABS challenge overturn in MLB for Ethan Salas

Pitch recognition is already there. Atta kid!#padres pic.twitter.com/87SQNll0IS
— Padres Central (@PadresCentral_) September 2, 2026

In Triple-A action this season, Salas put together a .326/.410/.539 slash line with three home runs and 24 RBIs in just 24 games. His potential offensive firepower comes at a good time for a Padres team fighting to make the wild-card.

“I’m up here just to be me and keep helping the team win,” Salas said. “Just trying to be the same guy every single day, be the same all year, and trying to help where I can. Nothing changes.”

San Diego now carries three catchers on their expanded roster, with Freddy Fermin and Luis Campusano sharing starting duties. Stammen did not expand on his plan for Salas' playing time, however, the rookie did get the start Wednesday against the Reds.

“We’ll see,” Stammen said. “Go out and get a bunch of hits, it’s hard to keep a guy out of the lineup like that. I think one thing we do know is he’s a very good defensive catcher. He can hold his own back there. The game-calling piece, we’re gonna work with him on that, try to get him up to speed with how we game plan, and then we’ll see what he’s like with the bat, and then we’ll go from there.”

Salas' defensive capabilities are well-known, and the Padres organization has felt he's been ready defensively for multiple seasons according to The San Diego Union-Tribune's Kevin Acee. His recent surge in offensive production was enough for the Padres to bring him aboard for a hugely important final month of the regular season.

Ethan Salas flies out in his first MLB at-bat

The kid is here#padres pic.twitter.com/23UtA3TYev
— Padres Central (@PadresCentral_) September 2, 2026

As the Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks trade punches in the fight for the final spot in the National League wild-card race, Salas is keeping the same mindset that saw him get called-up at just 20 years old.

"I don’t think anything changes," Salas said. "I’m just gonna come up here and try to do my best to help contribute to the team in any little way, so we can get a win.”

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