Padres' Ethan Salas Could Be Similar to Dodgers All-Star Catcher, Says Insider

The catcher of the future for the San Diego Padres is 18-year-old Ethan Salas.

With baseball in his DNA, the Padres' No. 2 overall prospect has impressed the Friars from the farm system and is making waves in High-A, where he spent all of last season.

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It's not just Friar Faithful that have noticed the brilliance of the young catcher, but ESPN's MLB insider Kiley McDaniel ranked his Top 100 prospects heading into 2025.

Salas is ranked No. 22 and received some pretty high praise from McDanie. The baseball insider revealed Salas' stat line is reminiscent of Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith's.

"I can't think of anyone specifically, but the statline may look like Will Smith's."

Smith is a two-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion for the Dodgers. A "down year" for him included a slash line of .248/.327/.433 and an OPS of .760 with 20 home runs and 75 RBIs.

Salas doesn't quite match those stats as he struggled towards the beginning of High-A play, but a consistent last month of the season and a solid Arizona Fall League still has scouts raving about the young catcher.

Last season, the 18-year-old slashed .206/.288/.311 with an OPS of .599. His 85 hits, 53 RBIs, and four home runs showed potential, but the 98 strikeouts were a bit high.

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There is so much potential for Salas and McDaniel pointed out some of his intangibles that set him apart from other backstops trying to make it to the big leagues.

"Salas runs well for a catcher and is incredibly advanced for his age as a receiver and game caller, so all of the soft abilities you could ask for in a young catcher are present," McDaniel writes. "On top of that, he's an above-average hitter with plus power projection and solid feel for getting to his power in games against older pitchers."

A left-handed batter, but a right-handed thrower — with a cannon for an arm — who also has above-average speed makes Salas an incredibly unique talent. With his youth and limitless potential, there is so much that the young backstop can already do, but even more that he can learn on his way to Petco Park.

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