The Padres have landed five of their prospects among the Top 100 in the Major Leagues, including highly touted young catcher Ethan Salas.
Salas, who will turn 18 in June, leads the list, ranked as the team’s top prospect and No. 8 in baseball, followed by shortstop Jackson Merrill at No. 12.
The others are pitchers – Robby Snelling at No. 26, Dylan Lesko at No. 56 and Drew Thorpe at No. 85.
The Friars signed Salas in 2023 as a 16-year-old out of Venezuela. “He’s like this old soul that just kind of gets it,” Padres manager Mike Shildt told MLB.com in December. “It’s very impressive how he handles himself.”
The team acquired Thorpe in the Juan Soto trade with the Yankees. Merrill, Snelling and Lesko were all Padre draft picks.
In addition, four of the prospects – Salas, Merrill, Snelling and Thorpe – are among 32 players to whom the Padres have extended Spring Training invitations:
- Right-handed pitchers (12) – Lake Bachar, Ryan Bergert, Drew Carlton, Yovanny Cruz, Matt Festa, Nick Hernandez, Kevin Kopps, Moises Lugo, Adam Mazur, Tommy Nance, Drew Thorpe, Nolan Watson
- Left-handed pitchers (5) – Daniel Camarena, Ryan Carpenter, Austin Krob, Jayvien Sandridge, Robby Snelling
- Catchers (3) – Kevin Plawecki, Ethan Salas, Chandler Seagle
- Infielders (6) – Marcos Castañon, Mason McCoy, Jackson Merrill, Nate Mondou, Graham Pauley, Tyler Wade
- Outfielders (6) – Bryce Johnson, Jakob Marsee, Óscar Mercado, Calvin Mitchell, Tirso Ornelas, Robert Perez Jr.
Among those 32 players are 15 minor league free agents who will be new to the organization and 14 who have Major League experience. Of the invitees, 14 were originally signed or drafted by San Diego.
Spring training begins slightly early for the Padres, with their season opener against the Dodgers set for Korea. Pitchers and catchers report Feb. 11.