A coach from the San Diego Padres’ minor league system finds himself entangled in a legal ordeal, now in federal immigration custody following an unexpected detention during a routine airport transit. The incident has grabbed attention as Oswaldo José Pirela, the team’s minor-league catching coordinator, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers.
The detention occurred on Sunday morning at the El Paso International Airport, a source close to his family revealed. As of Tuesday morning, Pirela was still reported to be held at the El Paso Processing Center, according to an ICE detainee database where his name features prominently.
While confirmation of Pirela’s detention has been obtained from the Padres organization, they have remained tight-lipped regarding the details surrounding his arrest, citing ongoing efforts to understand the circumstances fully.
“We recently became aware of the detainment of minor league catching coordinator Oswaldo Pirela in El Paso, Texas,” an official statement from the team clarified. “We are working to gather additional information and will not have any further comment at this time.”
Pirela, aged 34, was in El Paso carrying out responsibilities tied to the Padres’ player development, preparing to head back to Arizona, where he resides with his wife and their two daughters, who are American citizens. Notably, El Paso is home to the Padres’ Triple-A affiliate, the Chihuahuas, forming a critical component of their player development pipeline.
Exactly what prompted the detention remains unclear.
Pirela’s relatives say he came to the United States from Venezuela in 2014, applied for asylum and has a pending case. His family also says he has authorization to work in the country, though The Athletic reported that Pirela was not carrying his physical work-permit card when he was detained. ICE had not publicly provided a detailed explanation for why he remained in custody.
“He did everything lawfully as the U.S. asks,” sister Daniela Pirela told NBC News. “He loves this country.”
His brother, Jorge, said the family left Venezuela after experiencing political persecution and pursued asylum through the established process. In an Instagram post appealing for his brother’s release, Jorge described Pirela as a devoted father, dedicated coach and respected member of the communities in which he has worked.
Pirela has spent much of his adult life in baseball. He played in the Texas Rangers’ minor-league system from 2009-11 before eventually transitioning into coaching. He joined the Padres organization in 2024 and now works throughout their player-development system as a catching coordinator.
For now, the Padres are gathering information while Pirela’s family seeks legal assistance and waits for clarity on why a routine work trip ended with him in federal custody.