Minors: Catchers to watch in the Padres’ farm system

calico 11/27/2023

With Luis Campusano finally seizing a big-league job in 2023 and Ethan Salas living up to the hype as last year’s No. 1 international prospect, the Padres, even with Gary Sanchez leaving as a free agent, are as healthy at catcher up and down the system as they’ve been in quite some time.

Beyond Campusano and Salas, the Padres have drafted high-end catching prospects in early rounds each of the last two years and saw another prospect reclaim momentum in 2023 before requiring season-ending surgery, giving the organization interesting names to follow at the position throughout the system.

1 | Ethan Salas

Opening day age: 17
How acquired: International amateur in January 2023 (Venezuela)
Height / Weight: 6-foot-2 / 185 pounds
Bats / Throws: Left / Right
2023 team(s): Lake Elsinore (A), Fort Wayne (A+), San Antonio (AA)
2023 stats: .248 avg., .331 OBP, .421 SLG, 9 HRs, 41 RBIs, 40 runs, 5 steals, 30 walks, 75 strikeouts (66 games, 290 plate appearances)
Need to know: The Padres used $5.6 million of the $5.8 million they were allowed to spend on last year’s international amateur class on a legacy talent and Salas put a good foot forward, zooming toward top-10-overall rankings in prospect lists. While a knee sprain ended his season shortly after a late-season promotion to keep him developing alongside the Padres’ Double-A group, Salas’ highlights include becoming a rate 16-year-old position player to see action in full-season ball and hitting nine home runs 48 games with Lake Elsinore (.837 OPS). Salas is the ideal two-way prospect as a catcher, with developing raw power, solid contact skills, elite tools behind the plate and leadership qualities one needs to lead a pitching staff.

2 | J.D. Gonzalez

Opening day age: 18
How acquired: Third round in 2023 (Anita Otero Hernandez HS, Puerto Rico)
Height / Weight: 6-foot / 182 pounds
Bats / Throws: Left / Right
2023 team(s): N/A
2023 stats: Did not play
Need to know: An Indiana State recruit, Gonzalez signed a below-slot deal ($550,000) as his exposure was limited coming back from a November 2022 knee surgery. He has yet to make his pro debut but was up and running in the fall instructional league. The Padres see Gonzalez as a two-way prospect as he has both raw power and solid bat-to-ball skills, as well as tremendous arm speed and strength behind the plate.

Padres catching prospect Brandon Valenzuela was promoted to high Single-A Fort Wayne in 2021.

3 | Brandon Valenzuela

Opening day age: 23
How acquired: International amateur in July 2017 (Mexico)
Height / Weight: 6-foot / 225 pounds
Bats / Throws: Both / Right
2023 team(s): Fort Wayne (A+), San Antonio (AA)
2023 stats: .239 avg., .337 OBP, .374 SLG, 5 HRs, 21 RBIs, 32 runs, 2 steals, 30 walks, 66 strikeouts (66 games, 264 plate appearances)
Need to know: After a down year, Valenzuela had hit his way back onto the organizational radar before requiring season-ending surgery on his right MCL. His production was far better at Fort Wayne (.828 OPS) than it was over 27 games in the Texas League (.542 OPS), which is to be expected when a player jumps levels. Valenzuela knows a ball from a strike and employed more aggressiveness in the strike zone to improve his slugging in 2023. Behind the plate, Valenzuela manages staffs well, has an above-average arm and improved his blocking with improved conditioning coming into the season.

4 | Lamar King Jr.

Opening day age: 20
How acquired: 4^th round in 2022 (Calvert Hall College HS, Md.)
Height / Weight: 6-foot-3 / 215 pounds
Bats / Throws: Right / Right
2023 team(s): ACL Padres (R)
2023 stats: .324 avg., .441 OBP, .397 SLG, 0 HRs, 10 RBIs, 14 runs, 5 steals, 13 walks, 23 strikeouts (21 games, 84 plate appearances).
Need to know: Shoulder trouble ultimately forced King to undergo surgery in mid-October. The son of a former NFL defensive end, the younger King has similar size as his father and above-average power. His defensive skills are raw so the Padres will need a healthy King back on program in 2024.

Others to know: Juan Zabala (AA), Colton Bender (A+), Anthony Vilar (A+), Victor Duarte (A), Oswaldo Linares (A), Jesus Castro (R), Yoiber Ocopio (R), Carlos Rodriguez (R).