The San Diego Padres can give Ethan Salas a larger opportunity without treating Freddy Fermin as expendable. Their catching decision should account for defensive value and the risks of projecting a young player from a brief major league introduction.
That creates a more useful offseason question than simply choosing the most exciting hitter. San Diego needs to decide which combination of catchers can cover a full season while allowing each player to contribute in an appropriate role.
Salas’ Baseball Savant record shows 40 regular-season plate appearances in 2026. He hit .256 with two home runs and a .737 OPS, an encouraging introduction that remains a very small sample.
The Padres should give that performance weight without asking it to settle every catching decision for 2027.
Freddy Fermin’s Defense Belongs in the Calculation
Fermin’s current Statcast profile credits him with nine runs of fielding value in 2026. That measure supplies evidence of a contribution that his batting line does not capture.
His offense presents the obvious limitation. Fermin hit .203 with a .274 on-base percentage and .315 slugging percentage across 265 plate appearances. Those numbers support looking for more production, rather than assuming his existing workload should remain unchanged.
But reducing his starts and removing him from the roster would create different consequences. A smaller role could preserve his defensive contribution while giving Salas more chances to establish himself.
Statcast’s defensive estimate is one part of that evaluation, rather than a complete description of a catcher. It nevertheless gives San Diego a measurable reason to consider how Fermin complements its other options.
Luis Campusano Gives San Diego Another Path
Luis Campusano’s 2026 record complicates the decision in a productive way. He hit .265 with a .363 on-base percentage, eight home runs and a .796 OPS over 248 plate appearances.
His offensive results give the Padres another source of production while Salas develops. They also create opportunities to evaluate catching and designated-hitter assignments together, rather than treat every catcher as competing for an identical job.
A three-catcher arrangement carries an opportunity cost because it occupies a roster spot that could support another need. San Diego should compare that cost with the protection the group provides against injuries, uneven performance and workload changes.
The best answer can change as the season develops. The club has not announced a trade involving the catchers or finalized their 2027 assignments. A young catcher who handles an expanded role successfully could alter the calculation, while an injury elsewhere could create different priorities.
For now, the evidence supports preserving options before deciding that one catcher lacks a purpose. Salas offers upside, Campusano supplies an offensive case and Fermin brings measurable defensive value.
The Padres can encourage their prospect’s progress while retaining a useful complement. Building the catching group around distinct contributions would give San Diego more ways to adjust as the season unfolds.
Padres’ Ethan Salas Plan Should Include Freddy Fermin