DENVER -- The Padres made Ethan Salas the youngest catcher in the big leagues in 35 years, because they figured he could help them in their postseason push.
He’s doing exactly that.
Salas, the Padres’ top prospect per MLB Pipeline, launched the first home run of his career on Wednesday at Coors Field. Then, he launched another one -- and made a bit of baseball history in the process.
At 20 years, 107 days old, Salas became the youngest catcher in MLB history with two home runs in the same game. He’s the youngest Padre at any position to do so.
Leading off the second inning, Salas crushed a first-pitch fastball from Rockies right-hander Mason Adams a Statcast-projected 426 feet to straightaway center field, giving the Padres a 3-1 lead. Then, in the fifth, he turned on another fastball from Rockies reliever Nick Frasso and launched to the seats in right field.
In the process, Salas became the youngest player at any position to hit multiple homers in a game since Vladimir Guerrero Jr. did so in 2019.
COMPLETE PADRES PROSPECT COVERAGE
At the plate, at least, Salas started his big league career slowly, hitless in his first 15 at-bats. But he notched his first big league hit on Sunday -- a triple at Oracle Park in San Francisco. He’s also been solid behind the plate. (Salas had even ended the bottom of the first inning with a savvy ABS challenge that helped Robbie Ray strand a couple baserunners.)
Salas became the youngest player to homer as a catcher since Iván Rodríguez on Sept. 6, 1991. Of course, Salas, who turned 20 in June, is also the youngest player to catch in the big leagues since Rodríguez.
Salas also became the third-youngest Padre to hit a home run, with only Roberto Alomar and Fernando Tatis Jr. younger at the time of their first career home runs.