The 2024 season began with Luis Campusano getting his first crack at the starting job in San Diego and Ethan Salas embarking on his second professional season as the catcher of the future. Despite his struggles this year, Salas has a stranglehold on that title, which can’t come soon enough.

After all, Campusano was demoted to Triple-A El Paso after struggling at the plate and defensive and both postseason catchers — Kyle Higashioka and Elías Díaz — are free agents.

Barring a significant upgrade at the position, Campusano figures to get another look as the starter in 2025 and he’s prepping for that opportunity right now in the Dominican winter league. All eyes, however, figure to be on the 18-year-old Salas to see just how soon he could find himself in San Diego.

1   |   Ethan Salas

• Opening day age: 18
• How acquired: Signed as an international amateur in January 2023 (Venezuela)
• Height / Weight: 6-foot / 185 pounds
• Bats / Throws: Left / Right
• 2023 team(s): Fort Wayne (A+)
• 2023 stats: .206 avg., .288 OBP, .311 SLG, 4 HRs, 53 RBIs, 38 runs, 47 walks, 98 strikeouts, 10 steals (111 games, 412 plate appearances)
• Need to know: The top international prospect when the Padres signed him for $5.82 million, Salas rates as one of the best prospects in the game. He projects as an All-Star level bat and glove capable of leading pitching staffs in game-calling. Salas made his professional debut in 2023 before his 17th birthday at Lake Elsinore and finished that season at Double-A San Antonio as the Padres began to test the boundaries of his ceiling. He spent all of 2024 at high Single-A Fort Wayne, struggling for much of the year as a teenager growing into his frame while playing against older competition, as he’s done his whole life. Salas also made important tweaks to his mechanics at the plate and carried it into the Arizona Fall League, where he hit four home runs and was selected to start in that circuit’s all-star game. Look for Salas to continue his ascent as the Padres’ catcher of the future back at San Antonio in 2025.

2   |   Brandon Valenzuela

• Opening day age: 24
• How acquired: Signed as an international amateur in July 2017 (Mexico)
• Height / Weight: 6-foot / 200 pounds
• Bats / Throws: Both / Right
• 2023 team(s): San Antonio (AA) / El Paso (AAA)
• 2023 stats: .232 avg., .312 OBP, .352 SLG, 9 HRs, 47 RBIs, 44 runs, 44 walks, 101 strikeouts, 0 steals (111 games, 437 plate appearances)
• Need to know: His rights purchased from the Mexican League’s Mexico City franchise for $100,000 Valenzuela’s up-and-down career saw him bounce back from last year’s season-ending MCL tear to advance to the Triple-A Pacific Coast League for the first time in his career. He struggled over a final month in El Paso (.556 OPS) and has had to repeat levels multiple times so far as the defense has always been ahead of the bat. Valenzuela is currently playing for Hermosillo in the Mexican winter league.

3   |   Brendan Durfee

• Opening day age: 23
• How acquired: 14th round in 2024 (UC Santa Barbara)
• Height / Weight: 6-foot-3 / 221 pounds
• Bats / Throws: Left / Right
• 2023 team(s): Lake Elsinore (A)
• 2023 stats: .288 avg., .413 OBP, .480 SLG, 2 HRs, 18 RBIs, 11 runs, 13 walks, 18 strikeouts (20 games, 92 plate appearances)
• Need to know: He played three years Division III’s Cal Lutheran before transferring to UC Santa Barbara and hitting nine homers in his one year in the Big West Conference. Durfee signed for $150,000 after the Padres drafted him and finished his first year in pro ball with an invite to the Arizona Fall League, where he .160/.323/.200 in 31 plate appearances over seven appearances with the Peoria Javelinas.

4   |   Lamar King Jr.

• Opening day age: 21
• How acquired: 4th 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), Lake Elsinore (A)
• 2023 stats: .271 avg., .379 OBP, .421 SLG, 2 HRs, 32 RBIs, 38 runs, 26 walks, 53 strikeouts, 0 steals (62 games, 253 plate appearances)
• Need to know: The son of a former NFL defensive end, King worked exclusively at first base and DH as he worked his way back from a shoulder injury. He returned to catching in the fall instructional league and is considered a long-term project at the position. He projects as an offensive-minded catcher and he held his own at the plate as he saw his first action at a full-season affiliate in 2024.

5   |   Anthony Vilar

• Opening day age: 25
• How acquired: 15 round in 2021 (Miami)
• Height / Weight: 5-foot-10 / 190 pounds
• Bats / Throws: Left / Right
• 2023 team(s): Fort Wayne (A+), San Antonio (AA)
• 2023 stats: .228 avg., .359 OBP, .347 SLG, 7 HRs, 49 RBIs, 49 runs, 62 walks, 108 strikeouts, 11 strikeouts (100 games, 400 plate appearances)
• Need to know: He was called as a second baseman on draft day but quickly moved to catcher, although Vilar continues to see action in the middle of the infield. Vilar had a .768 OPS in 74 games to start the season in the high Single-A Midwest League before struggling over his final 26 games in the Texas League (.138/.303/.213), the Double-A action of his career. Vilar is getting at-bats this offseason in the Puerto Rican winter league.

Others to know: Colton Bender (A+), Colton Vincent (A), Oswaldo Linares (A), Carlos Rodriguez (A), Yoiber Ocopio (R), Dayquer Alfonzo (R), Alcides Hernandez (R), Estiven Giron (R).