Ethan Salas, called up Sept. 1, is 20 years, 107 days old. Christopher Hanewinckel / Imagn Images
Sept. 16, 2026 11:44 pm EDT Updated
Ethan Salas, the San Diego Padres rookie who entered this week seeking his first career hit, became the youngest catcher in major-league history with a multihomer game, going deep twice in Wednesday’s 9-3 win against the Colorado Rockies.
Salas, 20, hit a second-inning solo shot off Mason Adams, becoming the youngest catcher to homer in the majors since Ivan Rodriguez in 1991. Salas added a two-run drive off Nick Frasso in the fifth, breaking a record set by Butch Wynegar a half-century ago.
Wynegar was 20 years, 192 days old when he hit two home runs as a rookie catcher for the Minnesota Twins on Sept. 22, 1976. Salas is 20 years, 107 days.
Salas, who was called up Sept. 1, had gone hitless in 15 major-league at-bats before he tripled Sunday. That made him the youngest player to triple for their first career hit since teammate Manny Machado did so in his Baltimore Orioles debut in 2012.
The Padres began Wednesday with a 2 1/2-game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks for the National League’s final wild-card spot. If San Diego advances to the playoffs, Salas could soon become the youngest player to ever catch a postseason game. The record belongs to Bob Didier, who caught Game 1 of the 1969 NL Championship Series for the Atlanta Braves at 20 years, 230 days.
Sep 17, 2026
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