SAN DIEGO – The Padres have made a big splash to start the 2023 International Signing Period with the signing of catcher Ethan Salas. President of Baseball Operations & General Manager A.J. Preller and Vice President of Amateur & International Scouting Chris Kemp announced the signing on January 15th.
At just 16 years old, Salas is widely considered the top overall player prospect of this year’s international class, ranking first on Baseball America’s 2023 International Bonus Board, FanGraphs’ 2023 International Prospect Rankings, and MLB Pipeline’s International Prospect Rankings. The 6-2, 185-pound backstop comes from Caracas, Venezuela and is highly regarded for his pure left-handed swing and advanced eye at the plate. On defense, Salas possesses athleticism, advanced blocking, receiving skills, and a plus arm.
Salas comes from a strong baseball pedigree. His older brother, Jose, signed with the Miami Marlins in July 2019 and is rated as a consensus top 5 prospect in the Marlins’ system by several top publications. His father, Jose Antonio, played in the Atlanta Braves‘ organization, his uncle, Jose Gregorio, played in the Toronto Blue Jays‘ system, and grandfather, Jose Gregorio, played in the Houston Astros’ and Kansas City Royals’ systems.
The bilingual Salas should fit in well with the Padres organization, as San Diego has a strong track record of developing Latin American talent. The signing of Salas sets the tone for the Padres' international strategy in 2023 and beyond.
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