As the regular season moves forward, the San Diego Padres have put themselves in a strong position to claim one of the three wild-card spots in the National League.

After a slow month of June that saw San Diego drop in the standings, the team has rallied, playing much better all-around baseball. Mixing this with the acquisitions at the trade deadline, the Padres look like a potentially dangerous team heading into the stretch run.

But San Diego may be getting even stronger across the roster, with the team reportedly considering bringing up top prospect Ethan Salas. Padres insider Dennis Lin joined 97.3 The Fan to discuss Salas, dropping some insight into his chances of making his MLB debut this season.

“One hundred percent, I see them considering it” Lin said. “I don’t know about it being a lock, but I think there is a very good chance he’ll be up in September, and even maybe before then, because let’s remember, if you want to have a player eligible for the playoffs, they need to be on the 40-man before September.

“So I think they are looking at it; he’s only one call away, or one step away from the majors. They promoted him just a couple weeks ago, and not surprisingly, his offensive stats have instantly ticked up.”

Could Ethan Salas be called up to the Padres before the end of this month? @dennistlin told @BenAndWoods he doesn’t think it’s out of the question: pic.twitter.com/aIv0b0wCNP

— 97.3 The Fan (@973TheFanSD) August 10, 2026Should the Padres Bring Ethan Salas to MLB This Year?

Salas is in the midst of a breakout year for the Padres after what became an injury-filled season in 2025. The prospect has been at the center of the Padres’ future plans for some time, but he has finally started to show his potential to the organization.

In 72 games this season at Double-A, Salas hit .286 with seven home runs and 37 RBIs, while posting an OPS of .778. His performance earned him a bump up to Triple-A, where, as Lin said, he’s been playing very well.

Salas has played in nine games at Triple-A, hitting .333 with two home runs, 12 RBIs, six walks drawn and an OPS of 1.086. The Padres have to be impressed that his skills have translated nicely with the promotion, and this could earn him a spot on the big league roster.

Given that San Diego doesn’t have a firm plan in place at the catcher spot, it could be Salas’ for the taking. The Padres could help bolster their postseason chances by bringing the prospect to the major leagues, offering him a taste of the big stage for the first time.

This could be a smart move for San Diego, even if Salas doesn’t make the team’s playoff roster. The 20-year-old could get some needed reps in the majors, helping him in the future.

Who are the Padres Catchers This Season?

The three main catchers for the Padres this season have been Freddy Fermin, Luis Campusano and depth piece Rodolfo Durán. Each has played their role decently, but Salas is the future catcher of this organization.

On the year, Fermin has hit .197 with four home runs and 16 RBIs, while putting up an OPS of .595. Fermin has played in 73 games this year and has been much better as of late after a brief stint on the injured list to recover from a head bruise.

Campusano has also missed time this season due to injury, but he’s been productive when on the field. Overall, he has hit .296 with four home runs and 16 RBIs, while posting an OPS of .874.

Durán made his MLB debut this season with the Padres, playing in 39 games for the team amid the injuries to Campusao and Fermin. In this time, he has hit .146 with three home runs, eight RBIs and an OPS of .527.

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