Padres minor-league catching coordinator detained by ICE in Texas, family says

A San Diego Padres player development instructor has been taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, his wife and brother told The Athletic on Monday.

Oswaldo Pirela, the Padres’ minor-league catching coordinator, was detained at El Paso International Airport in Texas at around 4 a.m. Sunday, said his wife, Kemberly Avila. The Padres’ Triple-A affiliate is in El Paso. Pirela was flying home to his family in Arizona.

Avila said she has been in contact with her husband, and that the Padres are assisting their family in the situation. Pirela, a 34-year-old father of two, was not carrying his work permit card at the time he was detained, said Oswaldo’s brother, Jorge Pirela. Oswaldo Pirela and his family are from Venezuela.

“We recently became aware of the detainment of minor league catching coordinator Oswaldo Pirela in El Paso, Texas,” the Padres said in a statement Monday. “We are working to gather additional information and will not have any further comment at this time.”

Messages sent to the ICE office in El Paso and ICE’s office of public affairs were not immediately returned late Monday. The phone number listed for ICE’s El Paso office rang unanswered Monday. An automated recording said the facility was closed.

Avila said Pirela and their family have had pending asylum applications. All members of the family carry temporary ID cards.

Oswaldo’s wife said her husband has had no previous encounters with immigration enforcement officials during his time in the U.S. He has been with the Padres organization since January 2024, according to his LinkedIn profile.

— Dennis Lin contributed to this report.