El Paso baseball fans will get to see one of Major League Baseball's top prospects for the remainder of the season.
The San Diego Padres promoted their No. 1 prospect, catcher Ethan Salas, to the Triple-A
El Paso Chihuahuas on Wednesday, July 29.
He kicked off his first game in El Paso in superb hitting style.
Who is Ethan Salas?
Salas is in his fourth season since being signed at the age of 16 out of Caracas, Venezuela, during the international signing period.
The 20-year-old catcher batted .286 in 72 games with the Double-A San Antonio Missions before being called up to El Paso. He recorded 13 doubles, seven home runs and 37 RBIs, while posting the seventh-highest batting average in the Texas League.
Salas led the Missions with a .361 on-base percentage.
Earlier this season, Salas represented the Missions, as well as the Padres organization, by receiving his second selection to the MLB All-Star Futures Game. He recorded a hit and a walk at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
He previously represented the Padres' High-A affiliate, the Fort Wayne TinCaps, at the 2024 MLB All-Star Futures Game at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
Salas played for three Padres affiliates in 2023, becoming the youngest to play for a full-season affiliate in a decade at the age of 16.
Salas comes from a family enriched in baseball. His older brother, José, signed with Miami in 2019, while his younger brother, Andrew, also signed with the Marlins in 2025. His father, uncle, and grandfather have all played in Minor League Baseball as well.
Salas with successful debut for the Chihuahuas
Salas had three hits and a walk in a 9-7 loss on Wednesday in his Triple-A debut vs. Albuquerque at Southwest University Park. Salas hit a double in his first at-bat and later hit a two-run triple and a single.
El Paso and Albuquerque will continue their six-game series through Sunday, Aug. 2, at Southwest University Park. The games start at 6:35 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Sunday's game begins at 12:05 p.m.
Felix F. Chavez can be reached at fchavez@elpasotimes; @Fchavezeptimes on X
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso Chihuahuas add top Padres prospect Ethan Salas to roster
