For Twins/Kernels Infielder Jose Salas, it's Family First, Even in a Baseball Family

Twins infield prospect José Salas comes from a baseball family. To this point, they have yet to make it to the big leagues, but that could change in the next couple of years. Even if it doesn’t, it doesn’t make this less of a baseball family. He signed with the Marlins as a 16-year-old in 2019. 

Let’s start with his grandpa. José Gregorio Salas played in the Royals and Astros organizations from 1970 through the 1973 season, which he spent at Double-A. He was primarily a catcher, but also played quite a bit of third base.

The Twins' Salas is the eldest son of José Antonio Salas, who played in the Atlanta Braves organization from 1999 to 2004. He continued to play in various independent leagues around the country through 2008. He even made a brief comeback in the Atlantic League in 2013, when he was just 31. 

José’s uncle spent three seasons in the Blue Jays organization (2002-04), before playing some independent ball. His name, according to his nephew: “His name is José, too.” (José Gregorio Salas, Jr.)

The current generation of Salas boys are all intriguing baseball prospects in their own right. José was a highly-touted international prospect in 2019. Just last week, he turned 21 years old.  

His brother Ethan Salas was the top international prospect in the January 2023 class. He signed with the San Diego Padres. In his first season, he played 48 games for Lake Elsinore, the Padres Low-A affiliate. He then played nine games with Ft. Wayne, their High-A Midwest League affiliate. He ended the season with nine games with Double-A San Antonio. Yes, Double-A ball at 17, more than seven years younger than the league’s average. He began this season as a consensus Top-10 prospect in baseball and returned to High-A Ft. Wayne.

The youngest Salas brother is Andrew Salas. He will be eligible to sign on January 15, 2025. However, our friends at Fish on First tell us that the Miami Marlins are the favorites to sign the third baseman/outfielder.

The Salas brothers were born in Kissimmee, Florida, and grew up in Orlando. Recently, the Kernels infielder looked back at his earliest baseball memories, including “being able to play, and watching my dad play, and watching a lot of my family members play, and my uncle and my grandpa.

“At a really young age, (I) just kind of fell in love with that aspect of the game, being in the clubhouse, being able to have connections with these other guys and have fun with these guys," Salas continued. "It started at a really young age for me. It started with tee-ball in Orlando and then moved up to travel ball.”

That’s when he started to think about eventually joining the family business, such as it is. 

“(Travel ball is) where I met one of my coaches that forever will be one of the main reasons I started playing," he said. "Ray Garcia. Really good friends with me and my dad. He’s basically my second dad. I have so many mentors in my life that I really do appreciate, and he’s one of them. There are so many more to count that have been there since I was a little kid, making sure I was following the right steps and playing the game the right way.”

The boys traveled all over to watch their dad and uncle play, but as they got older, they supported each other by going to each other’s games and being each other’s biggest fans. One friend and teammate of theirs is a name that Twins fans are just getting to know: Charlee Soto. 

“We are from the same town. I got to watch him play. He is about the same age as my middle brother," Salas explained. "They grew up together. They played together on the same team. And I got to see him grow up and become who he is now. It’s crazy how much he’s grown and what he’s going to do in the game.

“It leaves me speechless to see how much he’s grown. Same thing as my brother, how much he’s grown since they were little kids. You see pictures of them playing travel ball, and then you see them now. They’re bigger than me. It’s crazy how time flies, especially in the game of baseball.” 

While the baseball bloodline may focus most attention on the men in the family, José Salas knows who ran the show and deserves most of the credit for how the boys have grown up. 

“I’m a momma’s boy,” Salas said, with a big smile. “I love my dad too, and everything he’s done for me, but at the time, while he was playing and not home, it was just my mom. She pretty much held the fort down for me and the family. She has done nothing but provide for me and my brothers. I don’t think we’d be here without her.”

She woke him up. She had breakfast ready. She got the boys to their baseball games and practices on time. “She’s done so much for us, especially when we were little kids, making sure we were able to go and play.” 

Salas’s mom is from Puerto Rico, a fact that José is very proud of.

“A lot of people don’t know that I’m half-Puerto Rican. A lot know that I’m from Venezuela. That is half of me. I am half-Venezuelan. I love that side. I love Venezuela and what Venezuela has done for me as a person and as a ballplayer. I want to do the same for Puerto Rico. A lot of people don’t know that I’m Puerto Rican, and I want to express that side of me and express that side of my family as much as I can.”

The Salas family moved back to Caracas, Venezuela, when José was about 13 years old. Before and even since then, he would go there for a couple of months, maybe a year, and then go back and forth.

Salas isn’t just a baseball player. He loves baseball. “I’m one of those guys that doesn’t ever get tired of watching baseball. I love watching baseball. Ever since I was little, it was always my dad and people in my life who have helped me, they’ve always been role models.”

One of his favorite players was Yankees Hall of Fame shortstop Derek Jeter. “I remember liking Jeter. My mom really loves Jeter.”

You may recall that Jeter was the Chief Executive Officer, under principal owner Bruce Sherman, who bought the Marlins franchise from Jeffrey Loria in 2017. Before the 2022 season, Jeter gave up his Marlins’ ownership stake and stepped down as the team’s CEO. 

“I got to meet him when he was there,” Salas said with a big smile. 

The interviewer notes the obvious, “That has to be pretty cool, right?” 

Salas said, “The coolest! We had a couple of good conversations when I got signed in 2019. It’s pretty crazy when (one of) your team's owners is Derek Jeter, especially your hometown team. You see him, and you glow. I imagine it’s like seeing Michael Jordan for big basketball fans.” 

Salas signed in 2019, but didn’t make his official professional debut until 2021. He split that season between the FCL and Low-A Jupiter. He began 2022 with Jupiter, before ending the season at High-A Beloit. He then participated in the Arizona Fall League after the season. 

Then, on Jan. 20, 2023, the long-rumored trade sent Luis Arráez to the Marlins in exchange for right-hander Pablo Lápez. In addition, the Twins received Salas and outfielder Byron Chourio. 

Salas was surprised by the trade and left with several questions. “The trade was very shocking for me. I know in baseball, you hear of trades and stuff going on. You never know if it’s going to happen to you, and then it does. Whoa! What happens now? Where do I go? Who do I talk to?”

Half the equation of being traded is leaving the only organization you’ve been a part of.

“The relationships that you have with the past team, especially your first team. It’s something you can’t really wrap your head around when you get the call, and that’s pretty much what happened to me," Salas said. "I just couldn’t really wrap my head around it. What’s going on right now? You never really think it could be me out of all people.”

The other side is a new organization, with people who see something in you and like your potential.

“At the same time, it’s a blessing. You have to think about the good stuff, not the bad stuff. Being traded for a superstar like Luis Arráez, a two-time batting champ with a couple of All-Star games under his belt, is crazy. And the caliber of Pablo, and being with him. Just my name being in there is pretty crazy.”

In joining a new organization, there are certain things he wants to do.

"I am trying to get comfortable as a team and finding my old ways. That’s what I’m doing right now, trying to go back to what worked for me in the past. I know last year wasn’t a good year for me, but I’m putting in the effort to go back to the old me. I know who I am, who I’ve been, and what I can become. Every day is a process. I'm getting comfortable with these guys. Go out there and have fun, like in past seasons. Focus on winning. That’s pretty much the goal for this year and other years.  Being able to help any club that I’m on. Being able to put a jersey on and give my 100%." 

In 2022, Salas was 19 and played in 48 games in the Midwest League, hitting .230/.319/. 340 (.660). The Twins decided to send Salas back to the Midwest League, where he was still nearly 2 1/2 years younger than the league average. In 93 games, he hit .190/.265/.272 (.537) with 13 doubles and four home runs.

Indeed, it wasn’t the numbers he hoped for, and it was not the first impression he wanted to give the new organization.

“This game is really mental," Salas said, by way of reflection. "A lot of people think it’s physical, and the physical part is important. In my case, I have the physical part. I need to lock it in mentally and make the adjustments mentally. And if I make the adjustments mentally, I know the physical side will be good.”

It was a time when he leaned on his family and his support group. 

"I talk with my brothers almost every day just to see how they are. They do the same with me. They check up on me to see how I’m doing. We lift each other up. In baseball, it’s not always sunshine and rainbows, but we’ll always be there for each other. At the same time, we’ll hold each other accountable. At the end of the day, bring each other up. That’s what we’ve been taught since we were little kids. I feel that’s the best way to go. Especially in baseball where there are so many highs and lows." 

Kernels manager Brian Dinkelman discussed that if he had come into pro baseball through the college path, he would just be entering his junior season and could be drafted this upcoming summer. Players drafted after their junior years in 2023 are already 22 or 23. The struggles need proper context. 

Dinkelman said, “You’ve got to have a short memory in baseball. Hopefully, those guys can turn around this year and forget about last season, keep working, get better, and learn from what happened last year. Hopefully, these guys can build off their early start and continue it throughout the year.”

Salas said he returned to Venezuela this past offseason and went back to work. He believes playing winter ball helped him a lot. 

“This offseason was about backtracking on stuff that I can improve on. Winter ball really helped with that. I went to Venezuela this year and played for Aguilas del Zulia. I was out there for a month and a half. I got to feel how I wanted to feel and know I’ve felt in the past. That helped me a lot. To go out there and have fun and really let loose in that league. The league is so good. Be comfortable. Know who I am as a hitter and as a fielder. And make little adjustments throughout the way.”  

And no surprise, but he also spent his downtime with his favorite people during the offseason. “I’m a real family-oriented person. I love spending time with my family, girlfriend, mom and dad, brothers and grandparents.”

They understand that baseball is in his heart and in his blood, but they also understand the value of being able to step away from the game to clear one's mind and rest one's body. 

“They really help me by taking me away from the game. When I do miss the game, I’m back at it. It makes the game more exciting when you step away from it and then go back to it. You need that.”

He continued with some excellent advice for ballplayers. “A lot of people don’t know. Baseball will stop you from living. One piece of advice I have is ‘Live’. Don’t let the game stop you from living. Enjoy the game because it’s not there forever. That’s what I go by. Have fun. When you’re having fun, you’re having fun. When you’re on the field, you're on the field. Whatever happens at the field, leave it at the field. Work on things the next day.”

On Tuesday night, the Kernels will begin a six-game home series against Peoria. The Kernels are 10-10 so far this year. Salas has made five starts at third base, four starts at shortstop, three starts at second base, and two games as the team’s DH.

Coming into this week's series in Cedar Rapids, Salas has had at least one hit in 11 of his 14 starts. He is hitting .245/.302/.265 (.567) with a double. He has four steals in five attempts. 

Seth’s Scouting Report
Disclaimer: I am not a scout. I have never taken a course on scouting. I have watched a ton of baseball, and over the last dozen years, I have watched several games each year in person and many more online especially over the course of the past few years as more and more games are on milb dot tv. So, note that these are simply my notes and my opinions based on limited in-person, some online viewing, and obviously some conversations. 

Jose Salas looks the part of a middle infielder or utility infielder. He’s just over six feet tall and around 180 pounds. Defensively, he looks smooth, especially on the left side of the infield. He has a good, strong arm, undoubtedly strong enough to remain on the left side. While not a burner, he does have good instincts in the infield. He certainly looks more natural at shortstop, which you would expect. 

On offense is where he has struggled the last couple of seasons. However, from when I have seen him play, he has a decent idea of what he is doing at the plate. In his good years, his Isolated Discipline was above 0.080 or so. That number has been closer to 0.040 in the last couple of seasons. That means fewer walks, and pitchers aren’t as worried about throwing strikes when he has struggled. 

It may sound strange, but I think his left-handed swing is really smooth. The stance is balanced. The swing is relatively quick. Sure, there is some swing-and-miss, particularly on good offspeed stuff. While we may not want to come up with excuses, we need to remember that he is much younger than the pitchers. The college pitchers are 22 to 24 years old and have three years of college ball and some pro time. Approximately 90% of his plate appearances this year have been against pitchers older than him. In 2023, just nine of his 382 plate appearances came against pitchers younger than him. 

He has the potential to develop into a 10 to 15-homer guy as he gains strength and confidence. He can (maybe should) be a line-drive, gap-to-gap hitter who can occasionally turn on a ball and crush it.  

I don’t think there is enough sample of him as a right-handed batter. He hasn’t hit much against southpaws, so I wouldn’t suggest giving it up, but that could be considered down the line. 

Current and Future Scouting Scores (20-80 scale) 
Hit: Current (30), Future (40)
Power: Current (25), Future (40) 
Speed: Current (50), Future (45) 
Arm: Current (50), Future (55)
Defense: Current (55), Future (50). 

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