Fantasy expert calls Padres’ top prospect the second coming of Juan Soto

Whether or not you're a big fantasy sports person, the opinions of those who are well-versed in the field certainly hold some weight. It might not be akin to scouting, but there's similar analysis conducted to arrive at certain conclusions when it comes to projecting a player's future.

So if one of the top fantasy experts says a particular San Diego Padres prospect is comparable to Juan Soto, suddenly, he's got everyone's attention.

FantasyPros.com listed Padres catching prospect Ethan Salas in their Top 150 Fantasy Baseball Preseason Rankings. Salas came in at No. 19 and was essentially called the catching version of Soto. That's high praise, and something that's sure to excite the Padres fanbase.

Fantasy expert calls Padres’ top prospect Juan Soto’s second coming

Seeing as how San Diego just waved goodbye to Soto earlier this offseason, it's somewhat comforting to know the Padres may have a clone in their farm system who also happens to play one of the most important positions on the field.

FantasyPros.com lauds Salas' insane power and calls the 17-year-old a generational talent. No wonder he's drawing comparisons to Soto -- MLB Pipeline views Salas as one of the five best prospects in baseball heading into the 2024 season.

Last season, after spending most the year at Low-A Lake Elsinore, the Padres gave Salas a taste of both High-A and Double-A, as the backstop saw nine games with both the Fort Wayne Tin Caps and San Antonio Missions.

Salas is so young that the Friars' faithful are probably going to have to wait at least another year -- maybe even two -- before he makes his way to The Show. While Salas posted an impressive .837 OPS at Low-A last season, his brief stops at both Fort Wayne and San Antonio saw his OPS hover around .500.

The young catcher still has a lot to learn, but is already well ahead of the curve. Soto himself may now reside in the Bronx, but the second coming of the All-Star outfielder appears poised to ascend to impressive heights once he reaches the big leagues. Or, at least, we can only hope. Even 50% of Soto will do.