The San Diego Padres have signed 16-year-old Venezuelan catcher Ethan Salas to a $5.6 million deal, the team announced on Sunday.
Salas is the top-ranked prospect in this year’s international Top 50 prospects list. He is the younger brother of Marlins prospect Jose Salas, who 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.
According to the team, he is trained by his father, Jose Salas Sr., and Ceasar Suarez of CJ Baseball Academy. Suarez is a member of MLB’s Trainer Partnership program. His father, Jose Antonio, played in the Atlanta Braves organization, his uncle, Jose Gregorio, played in the Toronto Blue Jays' system, and his grandfather, Jose Gregorio, played in the Houston Astros’ and Kansas City Royals’ systems.
According to reports, “Salas shows plus potential because of his soft hands, blocking ability, and receiving skills”. The team emphasized he has “good throwing mechanics and a strong arm”.
