Oswaldo Pirela, a San Diego Padres minor-league catching coordinator, has returned home to his family, a spokesperson said. Brandon Sloter / Getty ImagesAug. 25, 2026 Updated 11:54 am EDTOswaldo Pirela, a San Diego Padres minor-league catching coordinator who was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement a little more than a week ago, was released on bond Monday, a family spokesperson told The Athletic.Pirela, a 34-year-old native of Venezuela who is seeking political asylum, was traveling home from a work assignment on Aug. 16 when he was detained at El Paso International Airport, his wife and his brother told The Athletic last week. A resident of Peoria, Ariz., Pirela had been in Texas to work with players at the Padres’ Triple-A affiliate in El Paso.Pirela has returned home to his family, the spokesperson said.Pirela’s wife, Kemberly Avila, said last week that Pirela and her family have pending asylum applications, while Jorge Pirela said his brother was not carrying his work permit when he was detained.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said last week that Oswaldo Pirela entered the U.S. legally on Sept. 10, 2014, and was granted permission to stay in the country until Feb. 10, 2018.“In violation of our nation’s laws, he overstayed his welcome,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “When approached by law enforcement officers, he was not in possession of legal documentation granting him status in the country. He will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings and will receive due process.”Pirela is in his third season working for the Padres. Before being promoted to his current position, he was the bench coach for the organization’s Low-A affiliate in 2024.A former catcher, Pirela played in the Dominican Summer League for the Texas Rangers from 2009 to 2011.This story will be updated.
