By the end of this weekend, the baseball world will be swimming in highlights from 20-year-old Mike Trout’s call up in Cleveland and 19-year-old Bryce Harper’s debut in Los Angeles.
Come Monday morning, fans will drag their bodies back to work, talking about these two future All-Stars over hot coffee and cubicles.
“How awesome was the Dodgers-Nats game on Saturday,” the guy with a crooked tie will say to his co-worker checking his email. “Seeing Harper finally play on the big stage was off the hook!”
“Never thought Trout would go hit-less in his call-up,” another will say to a fellow Angels fan lounging in the company’s kitchen.
Meantime, in Lakeland, another 20-year-old will wake from slumber, the morning after raking more pitches .
His name is Nick Castellanos.
This 6 foot 4, 210 lb., power-hitting Florida native is considered to be the future face of the Detroit Tigers.
Drafted (more like stolen) 44th overall out of high school by the Tigers in the 2010 Major League Draft, Castellanos has escaped the wrath of hype’s radar thus far.
Deemed by scouts become an Evan Longoria-like player one day, Castellanos has not disappointed fans during his early professional career.
Minus Longoria’s power, Castellanos hit .312 with 158 hits, seven home runs, 36 doubles and 76 RBIs between the GCL Tigers and the Western Michigan Whitecaps last summer. To be fair Castellanos also struck out 130 times in 507 at bats.
Eek! That’s a lot of air.
But Tiger fans, thou shall not fear!
For, this spring, Castellanos is working like a lumberjack to chop down on strikeouts, all the while maintaining his hitting prowess.
Castellanos seems to be having success in achieving this end. Through 19 games at Class A Advanced, Castellanos his hitting a blistering .413 with 31 hits, one home run and 14 RBIs. He already has eight doubles and a 1.012 OPS. And while Castellanos’s strikeouts are still a bit high (15), this young gun is showing signs of improving his plate patience for the Flying Tigers.
It is obvious the Tigers front office loves Castellanos. For the team had a chance to acquire Gio Gonzalez earlier this year. But when Oakland brought Castellanos’s name up, the Tigers immediately slammed the door on the deal.
Yet while Trout and Harper snag the headlines, Castellanos will continue to fly below the radar, despite being the 51st best prospect in baseball.
But that is OK, for while Castellanos seasons his own fries in the minor leagues, a bright future awaits him once he arrives in the Motor City.
This is the beauty of having a winning franchise loaded with superstar players.
Well, that is unless you are Nick Castellanos.
Then it is torture.
James is a huge baseball fan who loves to write and make new friends. You can follow James on Twitter by clicking HITHA!
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