San Diego Padres minor-league catching coordinator Oswaldo Pirela detained by Border Patrol in Texas

Oswaldo Pirela, a minor-league catching coordinator for the San Diego Padres, was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents at El Paso International Airport in Texas on August 16, 2026. Pirela was reportedly flying home to Arizona when he was detained around 4 a.m. His wife, Kimberly Avila, has been in contact with him and stated that the Padres are assisting with the situation. According to Pirela's brother, he was not carrying his work permit card at the time of the detention. The Padres released a statement acknowledging the incident and indicated they are gathering more information. A statement from ICE confirmed that Pirela, originally from Venezuela, had overstayed his legal status in the U.S. He entered the country legally in 2014 and was granted permission to remain until February 2018. He is currently in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.