The San Diego Padres make Leo De Vries and Ethan Salas decisions ahead of the deadline.
At the MLB trade deadline, top prospects are always potentially up for grabs. But most teams typically draw a line on their prospect rankings, and for the San Diego Padres, such a line has been drawn.
According to Dennis Lin of The Athletic, the Padres have seemingly decided what to do with top prospects Leo De Vries and Ethan Salas at the 2025 MLB trade deadline.
"Some rival evaluators say the farm system is relatively bare outside of the trio of Leo De Vries, Ethan Salas, and Braden Nett." Lin writes. "De Vries appears virtually untouchable, but what about Salas? If nothing else, Preller's history suggests that almost everything is on the table."
This is a telling update from Lin on what A.J. Preller and the front office think ahead of the deadline. While De Vries, the team's top prospect and the third-ranked prospect in baseball according to MLB Pipeline, is likely not for trade, Salas might be.
He's the team's second-ranked prospect and the 24th-ranked prospect in baseball overall by MLB Pipeline. Salas was formerly the number one-ranked international prospect in 2023, and he signed with the Padres for $5.6 million.
He's been a huge part of the farm system in San Diego and has been near the top of the prospect world for some time now. But, he's hitting .188 in the minors this season, and is dealing with a stress reaction in his back, which is forcing him to sit out for two months.
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He might not hold the value he once did, but teams, especially with a lack of catcher talent, could be open to landing the Padres' 19-year-old catcher in a deal. Preller isn't trading De Vries, but Salas isn't off the block yet.
He'd easily be the top trade chip in San Diego and could help the Padres land one of their top options on the market. Most likely, it'd be in a trade for a new left fielder, though there are three-team deals that could bring home either a catcher or a pitcher.
But, for Preller and the front office, Salas would likely only be in a deal if the return would be a difference maker for the next few seasons. He likely wouldn't be moved for a rental, no matter how great said rental would be.
The Padres, based on this report from Lin, have made decisions with Salas and De Vries, their top two prospects. De Vries is "virtually untouchable," and Salas is a potential trade chip.
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