Oswaldo Pirela, the San Diego Padres‘ minor league catching coordinator, was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the club confirmed Tuesday, Aug. 18. 

Pirela was detained at the airport in El Paso, Texas, where the club’s Class AAA affiliate is located. He is a 34-year-old Venezuela native who played three seasons in the Texas Rangers organization from 2009-2011 and has been with the Padres organization in a coaching capacity since 2024. 

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

Pirela is based out of the club’s Peoria, Arizona, spring training complex and spent the 2024 season as bench coach for the club’s Class A Lake Elsinore (California) affiliate before becoming their catching coordinator in 2025.  

Pirela’s wife, Kemberly Avila, told The Athletic that Pirela and his family have had pending asylum applications and carry temporary ID cards.

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed Pirela’s detainment to The Athletic, saying Pirela “was not in possession of legal documentation granting him status in the country.” 

USA TODAY has reached out to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security for comment.