FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) — After losing a wave of prospects to the San Diego Padres’ Double-A affiliate in July, including top prospect Jackson Merrill, the Fort Wayne TinCaps were on the receiving end of a notable prospect promotion Tuesday.

The Padres promoted 17-year-old catcher Ethan Salas, the organization’s second-ranked prospect, to the TinCaps ahead of the team’s matchup against the Lansing Lugnuts.

Salas ranked No. 1 on MLB.com’s international free agent list this past winter, and the website also lists Salas as the 45th overall prospect in baseball.

The team described Salas as a 185-pound catcher “equipped with a pure left-handed swing and advanced eye at the plate. On defense, Salas shows athleticism, advanced blocking and receiving skills with a plus arm.”

“We’re extremely appreciative of our partnership with the Padres,” said TinCaps President Mike Nutter. “As San Diego’s longest-tenured affiliate dating back to 1999, we’ve been blessed to see many of the top prospects in baseball over the years, like Fernando Tatis Jr., and we’re excited for Ethan to join our team now as they gear up for a postseason push.” 

According to the TinCaps, Salas is also the youngest player ever to join the team’s roster.

Salas joins a TinCaps squad that is tied for first place in the Midwest League’s East Division with 30 games remaining.

In addition to promoting Salas, the Padres also transferred Michel Baez to the TinCaps for a rehab assignment and placed Bodi Rascon on the 7-Day Injured List.