Is Ethan Salas American? Padres young prospect's nationality and heritage explored

We'll soon see if Ethan Salas is actually as excellent as most scouts believe him to be, and he may be Major League Baseball's next big thing. Officially promoted to Lake Elsinore from Single-A, the San Diego Padres' generational catching prospect. Remember, he is just 16 years old.

"The Padres have promoted 16-year-old catcher Ethan Salas to Low-A Lake Elsinore." - KyleAGlaser

Salas was born in Florida but immigrated to Venezuela as a child and is proficient in both languages. The fact that his family has a long history in baseball may contribute to some of his nous and maturity.

Jose, his brother, is the No. 5 prospect among infielders in the Miami Marlins organization. His grandpa, Jose Gregorio, played for the Kansas City Royals and Houston Astros. His father, Jose Antonio, played for the Atlanta Braves, and his uncle Jose Gregorio for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Ethan Salas could rank among the top catchers in baseball

On Tuesday night against the Visalia Rawhide (the Arizona Diamondbacks' farm team), the 16-year-old won an eight-pitch duel in the bottom of the first inning for the Single-A Lake Elsinore Storm.

Salas batted second and served as the designated hitter in the Storm's 3-1 victory, going 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored.

"Ethan Salas collects his first professional hit! The third-ranked @Padres prospect wins an eight-pitch battle and laces an opposite-field double in the 16-year-old's first at-bat for stormbaseball" - MLBPipeline

Salas joined the team on Tuesday after signing with San Diego for $5.6 million at the start of the 2023 international signing window. He is the first player from the international class to play in the lower leagues thanks to the deal.