Adrian Del Castillo

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #29 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Del Castillo has been an offensive-oriented catcher since his high school days and lived up to that reputation his first two years at Miami. He entered his junior year considered one of the top college hitters in the country and a likely first-round pick, but his production tailed off, making questions about his ability to catch more pronounced. He fell to the 67th overall pick, where the D-backs took him and signed him for a slightly above-slot $1 million
  
  Scouting Report: Del Castillo has a flat, loose lefthanded swing that generates hard contact when he gets his foot down. He showed more power in 2023 than he had in the past, seeing his top-end exit velocity climb from 107 to 110 mph. He is a selective hitter who had a 14% walk rate last year, though he can have trouble with offspeed stuff. He holds his own against lefties and has a chance to be an average hitter with double-digit home run power. Del Castillo has improved as a blocker and receiver, but he’s still a below-average defender who struggles to catch elite, lively stuff. He has fringe-average arm strength.
  
  The Future: Del Castillo has work to do but could grow into an Alex Avila-type catcher. He finished last season at Triple-A and is in position to make his big league debut in 2024.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 50 | Power: 45 | Run: 30 | Field: 40 | Arm: 45
• 
  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #19 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Del Castillo was considered one of the better college bats in his class entering the spring, but his production at the plate fell off, and with some clubs unsure about his defensive home, he fell to the 67th pick, where the D-backs snapped him up and paid him a $1 million bonus.
  
  Scouting Report: Despite the down year, the D-backs were drawn to Del Castillo’s bat. They see a quality lefthanded swing with an advanced approach and the ability to flat-out hit, evidenced by having more walks than strikeouts in his college career. They believe his pre-draft struggles were to due to changes he made to try to add power, and they hope that with his focus back on barreling balls up rather than lifting them, he’ll eventually develop into a plus hitter with average power. The club seems to have fewer concerns about his defense than some others, seeing him as at least a decent receiver and blocker whose fringe-average arm can be offset by on-target accuracy and a quick release. Because of the pandemic, Del Castillo has had only one full season at catcher since high school, and the club hopes more experience will allow him to continue to develop behind the plate.
  
  The Future: The D-backs hope Del Castillo eventually looks a little like Alex Avila in his best years. He figures to open this season in High-A.
  

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #25 prospect in 2021 draft
  In a draft class light on college bats, Del Castillo entered the year as the clear-cut, top college hitter in the class, with a track record of hitting that dates back to his time as a high schooler with Gulliver Prep in Miami when he was a top-200 prospect in the 2018 class. After hitting .336/.430/.571 over his first two seasons with Miami, Del Castillo took a step back in his draft-eligible third year this spring, hitting .284/.388/.411 through 51 games with more strikeouts (28) than walks (25) for the first time in his career, and just three home runs. That lack of over-the-fence power is concerning for teams who are skeptical about Del Castillo sticking behind the plate at the next level. He would have to play a corner if he can’t catch, which will put more pressure on his bat and his power production. Each of his three home runs this spring were to right field, and historically in his better home run seasons, Del Castillo has mostly used the pull side. He did homer five times in 37 games in the Cape Cod League in 2019, but that power production with a wood bat also came with an uncharacteristic 32-to-9 strikeout-to-walk rate. This spring he did most of his damage on fastballs and struggled to regularly impact breaking stuff, though that wasn’t much of an issue for him in previous years. Del Castillo does have a loose, easy swing from the left side, with solid zone recognition and low strikeout rates for his career, so many scouts still think he’ll be a plus hitter, but the question of defensive profile and impact potential loom after his 2021 season. Del Castillo put in plenty of work over the summer with Royals catcher Salvador Perez, where he worked on improving his arm strength, blocking and receiving but he still needs work in those areas—particularly the latter two. While teams are split about his chances to catch, his pure hitting ability and offensive track record should make him a first-rounder.
• Ranked #196 prospect in 2018 draft
  An offensive-oriented catcher, Del Castillo is a pure, lefthanded hitter who has long shown a knack for finding the barrel and has had a loud spring season. He's a strong hitter with above-average power out of a 6-foot, 195-pound frame. Defensively, there are real questions, as Del Castillo's bat has always been ahead of his glove. He has some elements to turn into a solid-average defender behind the plate with a plus arm, but his pop times are better in practice than games because of a slow exchange. He needs to iron out his blocking and receiving as well. He has enough bat to profile in a corner outfield spot, and he runs well for a catcher, so that could be a future defensive home as well.

• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 40/High
  
  Track Record: Del Castillo was considered one of the better college bats in his class entering the spring, but his production at the plate fell off, and with some clubs unsure about his defensive home, he fell to the 67th pick, where the D-backs snapped him up and paid him a $1 million bonus.
  
  Scouting Report: Despite the down year, the D-backs were drawn to Del Castillo&#39s bat. They see a quality lefthanded swing with an advanced approach and the ability to flat-out hit, evidenced by having more walks than strikeouts in his college career. They believe his pre-draft struggles were to due to changes he made to try to add power, and they hope that with his focus back on barreling balls up rather than lifting them, he&#39ll eventually develop into a plus hitter with average power. The club seems to have fewer concerns about his defense than some others, seeing him as at least a decent receiver and blocker whose fringe-average arm can be offset by on-target accuracy and a quick release. Because of the pandemic, Del Castillo has had only one full season at catcher since high school, and the club hopes more experience will allow him to continue to develop behind the plate.
  
  The Future: The D-backs hope Del Castillo eventually looks a little like Alex Avila in his best years. He figures to open this season in High-A.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Del Castillo was considered one of the better college bats in his class entering the spring, but his production at the plate fell off, and with some clubs unsure about his defensive home, he fell to the 67th pick, where the D-backs snapped him up and paid him a $1 million bonus.
  
  Scouting Report: Despite the down year, the D-backs were drawn to Del Castillo’s bat. They see a quality lefthanded swing with an advanced approach and the ability to flat-out hit, evidenced by having more walks than strikeouts in his college career. They believe his pre-draft struggles were to due to changes he made to try to add power, and they hope that with his focus back on barreling balls up rather than lifting them, he’ll eventually develop into a plus hitter with average power. The club seems to have fewer concerns about his defense than some others, seeing him as at least a decent receiver and blocker whose fringe-average arm can be offset by on-target accuracy and a quick release. Because of the pandemic, Del Castillo has had only one full season at catcher since high school, and the club hopes more experience will allow him to continue to develop behind the plate.
  
  The Future: The D-backs hope Del Castillo eventually looks a little like Alex Avila in his best years. He figures to open this season in High-A.
  
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  In a draft class light on college bats, Del Castillo entered the year as the clear-cut, top college hitter in the class, with a track record of hitting that dates back to his time as a high schooler with Gulliver Prep in Miami when he was a top-200 prospect in the 2018 class. After hitting .336/.430/.571 over his first two seasons with Miami, Del Castillo took a step back in his draft-eligible third year this spring, hitting .284/.388/.411 through 51 games with more strikeouts (28) than walks (25) for the first time in his career, and just three home runs. That lack of over-the-fence power is concerning for teams who are skeptical about Del Castillo sticking behind the plate at the next level. He would have to play a corner if he can't catch, which will put more pressure on his bat and his power production. Each of his three home runs this spring were to right field, and historically in his better home run seasons, Del Castillo has mostly used the pull side. He did homer five times in 37 games in the Cape Cod League in 2019, but that power production with a wood bat also came with an uncharacteristic 32-to-9 strikeout-to-walk rate. This spring he did most of his damage on fastballs and struggled to regularly impact breaking stuff, though that wasn't much of an issue for him in previous years. Del Castillo does have a loose, easy swing from the left side, with solid zone recognition and low strikeout rates for his career, so many scouts still think he'll be a plus hitter, but the question of defensive profile and impact potential loom after his 2021 season. Del Castillo put in plenty of work over the summer with Royals catcher Salvador Perez, where he worked on improving his arm strength, blocking and receiving but he still needs work in those areas—particularly the latter two.