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Padres’ Ethan Salas Plan Should Include Freddy Fermin

Ethan Salas offers upside, but Freddy Fermin’s defense gives the Padres a reason to preserve catching depth alongside Luis Campusano in 2027.

By Alvin Garcia · Heavy

Published: Thursday, 5 November 2026 at 2:36 PM

Key Things to Know

Writer Alvin Garcia argues San Diego should retain Freddy Fermin to complement prospect Ethan Salas in 2027.
Ethan Salas posted a .256 average and two home runs across 40 plate appearances in 2026.
Freddy Fermin produced nine runs of defensive fielding value despite hitting just .203 over 265 plate appearances.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Writer Alvin Garcia argues that the San Diego Padres should keep catcher Freddy Fermin as a complement to young prospect Ethan Salas in 2027. While Salas recorded an encouraging .737 OPS in 40 plate appearances following his September 2026 debut, Garcia contends that a brief sample should not prompt the team to view Fermin as expendable.

Garcia notes that Fermin provided strong defense with nine runs of fielding value in 2026 despite batting just .203. Additionally, catcher Luis Campusano offers solid offensive production after posting a .796 OPS across 248 plate appearances, suggesting the Padres could benefit from balancing distinct roles across their catching group.

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Padres’ Ethan Salas Plan Should Include Freddy Fermin

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