• Full name Jason Michael Castro
  • Born 06/18/1987 in Castro Valley, CA
  • Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 215 / Bats: L / Throws: R
  • School Stanford
  • Debut 06/22/2010
  • Drafted in the 1st round (10th overall) by the Houston Astros in 2008 (signed for $2,070,000).
    View Draft Report
    A catcher most of his prep career, Castro entered this season thought of as a bat first after his strong summer in the Cape Cod League. He hit just .263 combined in his first two seasons at Stanford, then hit .341 in the Cape (second-best in the league), but he played mostly first base or outfield in deference to Florida State's Buster Posey. This spring, Castro has put it all together, showing he can hit for average and power while being Stanford's primary catcher. At 6-foot-3, he's tall but athletic enough to have good lateral movement and agility, and he's improved as a receiver, where he's considered fringe-average at worst. His arm also grades as average, and he's an above-average hitter, particularly for his position. Offensively, Castro stays inside the ball and has a fundamentally sound, strong swing. One scout likened his offensive package to that of former Athletics supplemental first-rounder Mark Teahen, who also played collegiately in the Bay Area, only with more power. In some years, Castro would be the best catcher on the board, but this he's third behind Posey and Southern California prep phenom Kyle Skipworth. He's not expected to last past the first round.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Minor League Top Prospects

Top 100 Rankings

Best Tools List

  • Rated Best Defensive Catcher in the Houston Astros in 2010
  • Rated Best Hitter for Average in the Houston Astros in 2010
  • Rated Best Defensive Catcher in the Houston Astros in 2009

Download our app

Read the newest magazine issue right on your phone