Ethan Salas could make Luis Campusano the Padres’ top offseason trade chip

Not only did Ethan Salas announce his arrival during the Padres’ postseason run, he changed the shape of their offseason. He’s not guaranteed the starting catcher job heading into the 2027 season. A.J. Preller already pushed back on that idea, telling reporters the position will feature a legitimate competition. Forty regular-season plate appearances won’t erase the importance of depth, either.

The Padres have a decision to make. Four catchers are occupying spots on the 40-man roster, and San Diego has too many expensive holes elsewhere to casually allow them to take up those spots.

Luis Campusano may be the player who could turn that surplus into something more. He slashed .265/.363/.433 with eight home runs in 248 plate appearances in 2026. He also answered some of the defensive questions that had followed him through previous seasons. His season ended poorly, but that finish doesn’t erase the productivity or remaining team control that could interest another club.

That combination makes Campusano more valuable than an expendable backup. He might actually be a decent trade chip.

Ethan Salas changed the Padres’ catching calculus

Salas recovered from an 0-for-15 beginning to slash .400/.423/.720 over his final 26 regular-season plate appearances. He then became the youngest catcher to appear in a postseason game and earned half of San Diego’s playoff starts behind the plate.

We can acknowledge what the Padres showed us. They trusted Salas with meaningful games, veteran pitchers and an elimination-game lineup spot. He will enter 2027 with a real opportunity to stay in the majors.

Freddy Fermin gives them the kind of security they need. His .589 OPS with San Diego is hard to overlook, but his defensive value is impactful. A young catcher benefits from having an experienced, glove-first partner, especially when that young catcher will be managing a rotation filled with questions.

Rodolfo Durán remains inexpensive organizational depth. That leaves Campusano as the catcher with the most compelling mixture of offensive upside, affordability and potential trade value.

The Padres could keep three catchers and give Campusano additional at-bats at DH. That configuration worked as short-term postseason protection. Over a full season, it would consume a bench spot and complicate the distribution of playing time. Campusano is also too talented to spend another year floating between catcher, DH and the bench without a defined role.

This is where Preller’s description of catcher as a “position of strength” has to mean something. Depth protects a roster. Strength can improve one.

The Padres have more urgent places to spend their resources

San Diego enters the offseason with substantial uncertainty in its starting rotation. The club must also address first base while absorbing salary escalations for Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill.

The projected arbitration salaries for Campusano and Fermin are modest at best. The money allocated for either won’t force the Padres to move them. The bigger question is whether carrying four catchers represents the best use of roster spots and organizational value.

It probably doesn’t.

Campusano could appeal to a team seeking an affordable catcher with offensive upside. San Diego could target rotation depth, pursue a controllable arm or include Campusano in a larger package. The point isn’t that the Padres must trade him for the first available pitcher. It’s that Salas’ arrival gives them the freedom to listen.

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