Rule 5 Draft Prospect Profile: Rodolfo Castro
When you are looking at a middle infield prospect, one of the traits that normally doesn't come to mind is power hitter. Usually, they are good defensively and can hit for average, but power is a rare feat for a second baseman or shortstop because of how much work they have to put in on their defense. However, Rodolfo Castro is a different kind of middle infielder who is showing that he can be a five-tool player in the lower levels of the Minor Leagues. Castro has had double-digit home runs in each of the last three seasons and has kept his average in the mid .200s. Castro got his first taste of the upper levels of the Minor Leagues last season and is looking to make that jump in 2021.
However, if the Pirates want to have him show off his skills at Double-A Altoona, they will have to get him through the Rule 5 Draft. He hasn't played past Advanced-A ball yet in his career but for another team, an infielder with power from both the right and left side of the plate is hard to pass up. Whether it be in the Major League or Minor League portion of the draft, Castro could be a much caught after prospect. And, with 2020 seeing some guys who never played above A-ball making their Major League Debuts, that could make Castro a more enticing option for a team with a glaring hole at second base. Let's dive into Castro's professional baseball career and see if losing him is a big concern.
Young, Raw Talent
When the Pirates went down to the Dominican Republic to scout players, they were prepared to see some of the best that the country had to offer. One of the names that stood out was infielder Rodolfo Castro, who had raw talent and showed that he could hit the ball consistently. The Pirates decided to take a chance on the young infielder and signed him to his first professional contract, sending him to the Dominican Summer League Pirates. He didn't show much power that season, with only two home runs in 230 plate appearances, but he hit for a high average batting .271 and driving in 29 RBI. One of the reasons he was hitting the ball so consistently was because of his play discipline. He walked 27 times during the season and had a healthy .360 on-base percentage. However, while he hit the ball well, his defense needed a lot of work at shortstop as he committed 34 errors and had a .884 fielding percentage.
His success at the plate earned him a trip to the states with the Gulf Coast League and he continued to be a great contact hitter for the Pirates. He ended up hitting .277 with six home runs and 32 RBI. He posted double-digit extra-base hits for the first time in his career with 12 doubles and four triples. However, he wasn't being as patient at the plate as he walked just 16 times and saw his on-base percentage fall to .344. His fielding improved by over 100 points as he went from 34 errors committed in his first professional season to just ten total errors between three positions in 2017.
His best play came at second base, so the Pirates moved him there to cut down on the distance of his throws. He would also move up to full-season baseball as he joined the West Virginia Power as the team's starting second baseman. It was during this transition that Castro's entire approach changed and he went from contact hitter to the beginnings of a power threat. His batting average dropped down to .231, but he was able to hit a career-high 12 home runs and 50 RBI in 105 games played. He led the Power in extra-base hits during the 2018 season with 35 total extra-base hits. The move to second base benefited his defense as he posted a .959 fielding percentage and his throws began to get better.
Being that he was just 19-years-old, the Pirates decided to keep Castro at Low-A so he could compete with players his age. Castro continued to show pop in his bat and raised his batting average hitting .242 with 14 home runs and 46 RBI. The extra-base hits just kept coming as he had 13 doubles and 13 home runs in 61 games. He was named a South Atlantic League Mid-Season All-Star and did enough to earn a promotion to Advanced-A Bradenton. He picked up right where he left off with the Marauders, hitting .243 with five home runs and 27 RBI. The Florida State League is more of a pitcher-friendly league, which is why the home runs dropped, but he continued with 13 extra-base hits. Castro cracked the Pirates satellite camp roster in Altoona last season and continued to impress Pirates coaches and scouts as he worked on his fielding to match his offense.
Protect the Talent
The Pittsburgh Pirates are going to have to make a move to protect Castro in this year's Rule 5 Draft. He is a power-hitting infielder from both sides of the plate, and he would be an asset for any organization that would pick him up. The question is whether he would need protected in the Major League or Minor League portion of the Rule 5 Draft. Being that he is just 21-years-old, it is unlikely that a team would add him to the Major League roster right now. He still has a lot of development to go, especially on the defensive side of the ball before he makes an impact at the Big League level.
However, the Minor League Rule 5 Draft would most likely see him get picked up by someone else. This means that the Pirates would have to move Castro to the Triple-A 38-man roster before the December 10th draft. With Castro starting to show his power year after year, the move might be good to challenge Castro a little bit. He has always been playing with people his age, but it would allow him to challenge himself against players older than him. If he succeeded, that could create a fast-track to the MLB in the 2022 season, right when the Pirates are looking to compete. He is one of the few power prospects in the Pirates Minor League system, and they hope he continues to show power one day with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
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