SAN DIEGO — Ethan Salas is set to become the youngest player to catch in a major league postseason game when he starts for the San Diego Padres in Game 2 of their NL Wild Card Series against the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night at Petco Park. The milestone comes after San Diego took the series opener 8-0 over Chicago at Petco Park, jumping all over left-hander Matthew Boyd to seize a 1-0 lead.
The 20-year-old Salas is catching and batting seventh in the lineup announced by manager Craig Stammen, and he will also be the youngest player to appear in the postseason for San Diego. Born in June 2006, Salas was called up Sept. 1 and became the youngest player to catch in a major league game since Iván "Pudge" Rodríguez in 1991 after going hitless in his first 15 big league at-bats before finishing 10 for 24. On Sept. 16 he became the youngest catcher to have a multi-homer game. "One, he's a very talented player, and then probably two is his character and maturity that go with it," Stammen said. "You add talent, you add character, and it adds up to a pretty nice little combo. Him getting to play this September was good for game experience, and it was also him showing us that he's capable of handling any and all situations."
Salas earned praise for his defensive skills and his acumen with ABS challenges during his late surge, which included a series of clutch hits, and that was enough to earn a spot on the 26-man postseason roster for his playoff debut. He will catch veteran Nick Pivetta, who already worked with the youngster in the regular season and during Pivetta's injury rehab. "They have a good relationship," All-Star Padres closer Mason Miller said of Salas and Pivetta. "I trust him. I know a lot of pitchers feel really good about throwing to him. Then you add in the types of at-bats he takes, working counts, willing to go the other way, put it up in the air and over the fence, too. He's that full package that I think is only going to get better over time."
The left-handed hitting Salas is a natural fit against Cubs right-hander Kevin Gausman, the Game 2 starter, with fellow Padres catchers Freddy Fermin and Luis Campusano both right-handed hitters. Bob Didier was 20 years and 230 days old when he caught for the Atlanta Braves in the 1969 NL Championship Series, the current youngest postseason catcher mark Salas will surpass. San Diego has won 18 of its past 21 games entering Game 2 and can clinch a trip to Milwaukee for the division series this weekend.
Salas, who was born in Florida and raised mostly in Venezuela, signed with San Diego as an international free agent in January 2023 with a record $5.6 million bonus. General manager AJ Preller traded away nearly all of the top prospects in his farm system in recent years in pursuit of a World Series but did not deal Salas, widely considered one of the best catching prospects in recent baseball history. The Padres are on a franchise-record run of five postseason appearances in seven years and have not hesitated to play young talent on the stage — Fernando Tatis Jr. made his playoff debut at 21 in 2020 and Jackson Merrill was 21 for his debut in 2024. "He's got enormous amounts of confidence, which is what I love to see out of young kids," Merrill said of Salas. "He trusts himself, we trust him, and I think that bounces back on each other. We've shown we love him and trust him to do what he's capable of doing, and he's going to go out there and perform to the best of his abilities." The matchup continues MLB Postseason Day 2 Preview: Wild Card Slate Runs It Back as San Diego looks to close out the series at home.