The San Diego Padres are in a difficult position.

While they remain a competitive team, much of their core is getting older, and several players are signed to massive contracts that extend well into the 2030s. If the Padres want to remain contenders for years to come, they need young, affordable talent to complement their veteran stars.

The problem is that Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller has built a reputation for trading prospects in pursuit of immediate success. Over the years, many of the organization’s top young players have been dealt away. Fortunately for San Diego, one blue-chip prospect remains: Ethan Salas.

Salas, a 20-year-old catcher, has the potential to become one of the most important players in the franchise’s future. He already shows the traits teams look for in a long-term answer behind the plate. Defensively, Salas is advanced beyond his years. He receives pitches well, handles a pitching staff with confidence, and possesses an elite throwing arm that can shut down opposing running games.

His maturity extends to the batter’s box as well. Salas has posted an 11 percent walk rate compared to just a 15 percent strikeout rate, demonstrating strong plate discipline for such a young player. While his offensive production took time to develop, the underlying numbers have always suggested there was plenty of potential.

Part of the pressure on Salas came from the enormous expectations placed on him from the start. He was the top international prospect in the 2023 signing class, and the Padres awarded him a $5.6 million signing bonus when he was only 16 years old. Before he had even played a professional game, he was already being discussed as one of the best prospects in baseball.

Although he struggled offensively during parts of his first few professional seasons, his defense remained a strength throughout. Now, Salas is putting together his best season in the minors. Before earning a promotion, he hit .286 with seven home runs and 37 RBIs in 72 games at Double-A San Antonio. Along with his impressive strikeout and walk rates, his exit velocities and hard-hit percentages have taken encouraging steps forward.

His strong play earned him a promotion to Triple-A El Paso, making him one step away from the major leagues. Rather than looking overwhelmed by the jump in competition, Salas has continued to show why the Padres view him as one of the organization’s cornerstone prospects. His ability to compete against more experienced pitching while maintaining his defensive excellence only strengthens the case that he is the club’s catcher of the future.

The Padres simply cannot afford to trade him. Catcher is one of the most difficult positions in baseball to fill with young talent, and San Diego already has questions at the major league level. The current catching situation has been inconsistent, and while the organization hopes Luis Campusano can return and contribute, that does not eliminate the need for a long-term solution.

That solution could very well be Ethan Salas. He gives the Padres something they desperately need: a young, cost-controlled player with star potential at a premium position. As San Diego tries to balance an aging roster with a sustainable future, keeping Salas should be viewed as a necessity, not an option.

Kaden Zimmerman