Position: RH SP
Born: 4/9/88
Ht: 6'5" Wt: 210
Acquired: Received from San Diego in Carlos Quentin trade on Dec. 31, 2011
Career Stats
FutureSox Prospect Rankings
- #3 - 2012 Preseason
Accolades
- 2010 #57 MLB Prospect (Baseball America)
- 2011 Padres Best Slider (Baseball America)
- 2011 #58 MLB Prospect (Baseball America)
Scouting report
The Dominican made his pro debut in 2006 and has been a starter every step of the way. He didn't pitch in full season ball until 2009, when he was 21, but it was worth the wait. He pitched 140.1 innings, struck out 157 and walked 37 for a 3.33 ERA in the low-A Midwest League. Castro became a hot prospect and went straight to AA to start 2010. He posted similar numbers, but saw his K/9 drop from 10.1 to 7.4. The Padres assigned him to AAA the next April, but after just six starts where he lost his command he was sent back to AA. 2011 was a bit of a mystery for Castro. His K and BB stats remained similar in AA, but he was getting hit a lot more. At this point, Castro will need to show that he can repeat his delivery, but he has the stuff to be a quality starter. His fastball sits in the 92-94 range with movement and he has a good slider. If he doesn't improve his change he may be forced to move to the bullpen, where his two-pitch combo would likely make him a good reliever as long as the control improves.
Major League Outlook: No. 4 starter/set-up man
ETA: 2013
