Padres' Ethan Salas Sends Clear Message on Plummeting in Top Prospect Rankings

San Diego Padres young catcher Ethan Salas sent a clear message on plummeting in the top prospect rankings after missing a majority of the 2025 season because of a back injury.

The discourse has been palpable.

Salas was considered a top 10 prospect in all of baseball in 2024. He hit .206 with an OPS of .599 in High-A during the 2024 campaign after skyrocketing to Double-A at just 17 years old in 2023.

He was largely forgotten last season, not because of his performance, but because of the limited sample size of his play. He played in only 10 games in 2025 — all at Double-A — where he hit .188 with an OPS of .544.

Salas, along with left-handed pitcher Kruz Schoolcraft and Kash Mayfield, headlined the Padres prospects in the Spring Breakout game against the Chicago Cubs over the weekend. While Salas is still being evaluated, he is no longer regarded as the future face of the franchise with Schoolcraft taking the No. 1 ranking spot.

Schoolcraft is the only Padres prospect currently in MLB's Top 100, per MLB Pipeline.

And yet, has Salas paid attention to any of the outside noise?

“Not at all,” Salas said. “The guys in this clubhouse know who I am. I don’t think any prospect rank or not determines that — determines how I am as a teammate, as a human, as a baseball player. So I’m just going to go out and keep playing my game every single day, happy like a kid.”

Salas appears completely unbothered by any conversations surrounding his status as a top prospect around the league. This spring, he spent time in big league camp with the Padres and continued his development.

When Will Ethan Salas Make MLB Debut For Padres?

Salas appears to be far from making his MLB debut as his usage in big league camp this spring was limited. The young catcher went 2-for-9 in his limited at-bats in Cactus League play.

While he missed almost a full season, Salas can be back on track with a strong performance in the minors throughout 2026.

San Diego assistant director of player development Mike Daly provided a major update on the young catcher's development this spring, specifically noting how crucial it was for the 19-year-old to get consistent work in camp.

“His hands work exceptionally well with blocks, throwing, accuracy,” Daly said to MLB.com. “He continues to build up on the swings and work on the bat -- tighter moves, more consistency on the barrel accuracy aspect, staying in the middle of the field. The most important thing is he's been able to get his work in every single day.”

It wasn't ideal that Salas missed almost a full year as his development in 2025 was a crucial time for the catcher. Nevertheless, he remains a top prospect within the organization and is poised to play a big role for the organization in the coming years.