Diego Castillo

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #29 prospect in 2018
  Castillo has moved rapidly through the Rays organization since signing for $64,000 out of the Dominican Republic as a 20-year-old in 2014. He has received in-season promotions in each of the past three campaigns, and parlayed a strong performance in the Arizona Fall League in 2016 into stints at Double-A Montgomery and Triple-A Durham in 2017. In 71.2 combined innings, the chunky, hard-throwing righthander went 15-for-18 in save opportunities, including saves in both the Governors' Cup-clinching victory and the Triple-A national championship game. Castillo is a classic fastball/slider, high-effort reliever who has touched 101 mph with his four-seamer. He generates a lot of ground balls but tends to give up a fair number of hits when hitters start making contact. Castillo has good overall control and command, but gets in trouble when he overthrows, reducing the movement on his pitches. Despite his late-season success as a closer, Castillo profiles better as a high-leverage reliever. He will compete for a job in the Rays bullpen in 2018.