Padres' 20-Year-Old Prospect Ethan Salas Adds His Name to MLB Record Books

This was only his ninth game in the majors

Sep 16, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; San Diego Padres catcher Ethan Salas (8) celebrates after hitting a home run in the second inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The San Diego Padres' No. 1 prospect, catcher Ethan Salas, had his best performance at the plate so far in his first stint in the big leagues.

Salas, MLB Pipeline's No. 22 overall prospect for 2026, went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBIs in San Diego's 9-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday. And both hits in the 20-year-old's first multi-hit game in the majors were home runs. The lefty-swinging catcher launched a solo shot to center field in the second inning for his first MLB homer, followed by a two-run blast to right field in the fifth.

With these long balls, Salas became the youngest catcher in MLB history to belt two home runs in a single game, according to MLB.com's Sarah Langs. And at 20 years and 107 days old, he's also the youngest catcher to homer in the big leagues since Hall of Famer Iván Rodríguez, according to Langs. This performance offers a brief preview of what San Diego fans can expect to see from the top prospect for years to come.

This is only the beginning for Ethan Salas

Sep 5, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres catcher Ethan Salas (8) congratulates relief pitcher Jhony Brito (76) during the ninth inning against the New York Yankees at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In his first nine MLB games, Salas is now 3-for-21 with two homers, three RBIs, and three runs scored. Beyond the numbers, though, the star prospect is gaining valuable big-league experience at a young age.

In 96 minor league games this year, Salas had a .296 batting average, a .374 on-base percentage, and an .822 OPS with 10 home runs, 61 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases. This has clearly been the young catcher's best offensive season in the minors yet. And after being limited to just 10 games in 2025 due to a back injury, the 20-year-old bounced back in 2026 to make his Triple-A and MLB debuts.

The Padres currently hold the National League's third and final Wild Card spot at 83-69. While it's unclear what role Salas will play for San Diego down the stretch, the top prospect has shown throughout the year why he's a highly touted talent. And if his success in 2026 is any indication, the lefty-swinging catcher could be setting the stage for a big season next year.