The San Diego Padres have welcomed a 16-year-old into their Minor League system.
Ethan Salas, who turns 17 on Thursday, was added to the Single-A Lake Elsinore roster on Tuesday and made an immediate impact.
The 86th-ranked prospect in Major League Baseball doubled and singled in his first two at-bats, adding a walk and scoring a run for the Storm.
The Padres signed the Venezuelan catcher to a $5.6 million deal in January.
"He's kind of the total-package catcher," scouting director Chris Kemp said after the Padres signed Salas this winter, according to MLB.com.
"It's just rare. This is my ninth year doing international scouting and, for us, this is the most interesting guy we've scouted."
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Salas is the first player to see playing time in Single-A in his age-16 season since Julio Urias made his debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers in Low-A Great Lakes in 2013, according to Baseball America.
The teenager comes from a strong baseball background, with his brother Jose signing with the Miami Marlins in 2019.
Salas’ father, grandfather and uncle all played in the minor leagues, according to the Times of San Diego.
He made his Cactus League debut against the Chicago White Sox in March, impressing Padres manager Bob Melvin.
"For a 16-year-old kid behind the plate, I'll tell you, he's well beyond his years," Melvin said. "You watch the way he frames pitches -- a couple balls in the dirt got by him -- but he has his wits about him. ... It's pretty incredible to see a 16-year-old with that kind of composure."
