Richard Castillo

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #17 prospect in 2010
  The Cardinals aren't afraid to aggressively promote prospects, and they've pushed Castillo as fast as any of their recent international signings. He made his U.S. debut in high Class A as an 18-year-old in May 2008, coming over from extended spring training when Palm Beach needed a spot starter. He acquitted himself well for three weeks and then pitched well when he was sent to low Class A to start on a regular basis. Castillo returned to Palm Beach in 2009 and spent the entire season there as the youngest starting pitcher in the Florida State League. Though he's undersized, Castillo has a loose delivery and St. Louis expects that he'll add hop to his 90-91 mph fastball as he fills out. His curveball has good snap and can be a true swing-and-miss pitch. He also has made progress with his changeup. Though he's advanced for his age, Castillo still has a lot to work on. He needs to throw strikes more consistently, and the Cardinals would like to see his conditioning and between-start work habits improve. That should come with maturity. So too will another promotion.
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  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #24 prospect in 2009
  A byproduct of the Cardinals' aggressive promotion of players was younger players moving quicker and to higher levels. Castillo, a product of the Cardinals' recent initiatives in Venezuela, was 18 when he arrived at Palm Beach because of an injury, and he pitched well above his age. Castillo compiled a 1.13 ERA in 16 innings at Palm Beach as the youngest starter in the league. He has the raw and loose look and live frame of a top-flight prospect, but the combination of his age, his frame and the lack of a track record keeps the Cardinals from getting too high on him. He throws a fastball at 89-90 mph now, and it should gain velocity as he gains strength. His curveball can be an out pitch, but he'll have to become more consistent with it. He also has a changeup that's a work in progress. It's command beyond his years that has helped him to 88 strikeouts in 95 innings against just 28 walks. He struck out 19 of the 65 batters he faced in high Class A. Castillo finished the year as a the headliner of a teen brigade that included center fielder Frederick Parejo, a starter on a championship team and the New York-Penn League's all-star game MVP. Parejo, too, was just 18. Both could be reunited at Quad Cities, where they'll be full-season starters before they're 20.