American-Venezuelan baseball player (born 2006)
Ethan Gabriel Salas (born June 1, 2006) is an American-born Venezuelan professional baseball catcher in the San Diego Padres organization.
Early life.
Ethan Gabriel Salas was born on June 1, 2006, in Kissimmee, Florida. His father, Jose Antonio Salas, played in Minor League Baseball (MiLB) for the Atlanta Braves organization, and his uncle and grandfather also played in MiLB. Salas spent time growing up in Florida, the Dominican Republic, and Venezuela.
Professional career.
Salas played for the Águilas del Zulia of the Venezuelan Winter League in 2022/2023.
Considered the top international free agent in the 2023 class and "one of the top catching prospects in recent history," Salas signed with the San Diego Padres in January for a record $5.6 million bonus.
He was promoted to Class AA at age 17, a nearly unprecedented rise through the team's farm system. A.J. Preller, the Padres president of baseball operations, said that the promotion was "aggressive" but that Salas was "up to the challenge."
As of August 2023, Salas was ranked near the top of several top prospect lists.
Personal life.
Salas is fluent in English and Spanish. His brother, José Salas, plays in the Minnesota Twins organization.
References.
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