SALAS COULD BE SPECIAL
Baseball America|September 2023
When Ethan Salas arrived in the California League on May 30, he immediately displayed talent well beyond his years.
Kyle Glaser, Josh Norris & Geoff Pontes
SALAS COULD BE SPECIAL

LOW-A

The Padres assigned Salas to Low-A Lake Elsinore this season when he was just 16 years old, making him the first player that age to appear in the full-season minor leagues since Julio Urias in 2013.

Salas, who signed in January and bypassed Rookie ball entirely, reached base in seven of his first eight plate appearances, turned 17 two days after his arrival and never slowed down.

Salas hit .267/.350/.487 with nine home runs and 35 RBIS in 48 games for Lake Elsinore before earning a promotion to High-A Fort Wayne-and eventually Double-A San Antonio in late August.

Beyond the numbers, the Venezuelan catcher showed an uncanny knowledge of the strike zone and remarkable poise in the batter's box that belied his youth.

Salas laid off tantalizingly close pitches, worked counts like a season veteran and made consistent contact with a direct, fluid, lefthanded swing.

After hitting into some bad luck early, Salas hit 312/.359/.633 with eight home runs in his final 26 games with the Storm before being promoted.

"At 17 you're usually writing a high school follow report on a guy," one rival evaluator said. "I haven't seen a newly-turned 17-year-old in full-season who really looks like he belongs.

"He's taking 97 (mph) up in the zone and just crushed it for a home run. He's got a chance to be pretty damn good."

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة September 2023 من Baseball America.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة September 2023 من Baseball America.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

المزيد من القصص من BASEBALL AMERICA مشاهدة الكل
THE SERVICE TIME CONUNDRUM
Baseball America

THE SERVICE TIME CONUNDRUM

MLB’s byzantine service time rules cloud rookie status and now PPI eligibility

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2024
LUIS TIANT WAS MLB'S MOST SUCCESSFUL CUBAN PITCHER
Baseball America

LUIS TIANT WAS MLB'S MOST SUCCESSFUL CUBAN PITCHER

On a scouting trip to Cuba in 1957, Bobby Avila discovered 16-year-old righthander Luis Tiant on the island's Juvenile League all-star team.

time-read
1 min  |
November 2024
ORGANIZATION REPORT
Baseball America

ORGANIZATION REPORT

Outfielder Heston Kjerstad's career has been unique, to say the least.

time-read
7 mins  |
November 2024
TOP 10 NL EAST
Baseball America

TOP 10 NL EAST

From the moment Thomas White stepped on a high school mound, he was viewed as the top lefthander available in the 2023 draft.

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2024
PREPARATION PAYS OFF
Baseball America

PREPARATION PAYS OFF

lowa politician J.D. Scholten makes a surprising return to pro ball at age 44

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
MAKING THE GRADE
Baseball America

MAKING THE GRADE

Assessing the future value of graduated National League prospects

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2024
TOP 10 NL WEST
Baseball America

TOP 10 NL WEST

Even in high school, Bryce Eldridge could hit the ball a mile. The 6-foot-7 righthander could also touch 96 mph off the mound.

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2024
Wood Has Towering Upside- Nationals rookie James Wood also stands 6-foot-7 and also has game-changing power.
Baseball America

Wood Has Towering Upside- Nationals rookie James Wood also stands 6-foot-7 and also has game-changing power.

Aaron Judge and Oneil Cruz are 6-foot7 sluggers who stand out for their power in this year’s MLB Best Tools voting. Wood spent half of this season with Triple-A Rochester before making his MLB debut on July 1. While he was in the International League, he captured managers’ attention. Wood unanimously won Best Power Prospect and also claimed Most Exciting Player in a survey of league skippers. Wood hit .353/.463/.595 with 10 home runs in 52 games for Rochester. His .242 isolated slugging was the best for a player 21 or younger at Triple-A this season.

time-read
2 mins  |
August/September 2024
ROAD BLOCK?
Baseball America

ROAD BLOCK?

Scholarship expansion puts mid-majors at a major disadvantage on the road to Omaha

time-read
4 mins  |
August/September 2024
ROYALS REVIVAL
Baseball America

ROYALS REVIVAL

A revamped and rejuvenated farm system has Kansas City ready to rebound

time-read
6 mins  |
August/September 2024