Tigers Promote Nick Castellanos to Erie

[Oblong]

How is one's OBP lower than one's batting average? I was just going to ask, but wikipedia answers for me.

"For small numbers of at-bats, it is possible (though unlikely) for a player's on-base percentage to be lower than his batting average (H/AB). This happens when a player has almost no walks or times hit by pitch, with a higher number of sacrifice flies."

I believe it was Alex Sanchez who accomplished that feat with the Tigers.

[Biff Mayhem]

I believe it was Alex Sanchez who accomplished that feat with the Tigers.

Pudge too.

[Yoda]

Just a quick update... Nick hit a double, triple, and homer last night. He missed 4 or 5 games due to a minor hand injury but he's back. Now he just needs to draw a walk or two...

.273/.267/.432 for Erie so far (41 AB).

Add a homer last night and another homer so far today! Now hitting .293 (801 OPS).

He flukishly still hasn't draw a walk but he's not striking out much either, only 7 in 58 AB's. He does normally draw an average-ish amount of BB in case anyone's worried about that. Dude is killing the baseball so whatever.

[Motor City Sonics]

My sons and I are going to see Nick and the gang on July 5th in Erie against Bowie....saw Nick with the Whitecaps last year and I was very impressed with his hitting...opposite field HR, line drives all over the place, I'm jacked up!

When I saw him play 3rd base with the Whitecaps, he looked like he lacked range and footwork, had a decent arm but his mechanics seemed flawed. I don't see him as a clear defensive upgrade over Cabrera, not enough to move anyone around. I would see him as a Left Fielder to be honest....but his bat is such that I think he could be a contributor as a LFer in 2013.

I agree with plant that they should probably move him to LF this year if they're serious about him contributing to the big club in 2013. That's what I would do at this point anyway.

I would rather see him as a right fielder. You need really good range to be a good LF at Comerica (notice Delmon and Ryan out there?). But teams usually put their best OF arm in right and I know that Nick has a really good arm. He's not going to be a major league third baseman.

[tiger337]

I would rather see him as a right fielder. You need really good range to be a good LF at Comerica (notice Delmon and Ryan out there?).

Raburn does have good range. It's his instincts that are bad.

[Hart]

Raburn does have good range. It's his instincts that are bad.

His hands are pretty bad too...which comes into play much more as an infielder than as an outfielder but it certainly doesn't help as an outfielder either.

[irvink]

Castellanos finished the day 3-5 with a HR and 2 RBI. Now batting .306 over 15 games in AA.

[Yoda]

It's really nice to see him hitting HR's. This season has been a best-case scenario for him.

[RJBBREZ]

Castellanos finished the day 3-5 with a HR and 2 RBI. Now batting .306 over 15 games in AA.

Love to see he is performing so well.

If most people believe he will be an OF when he gets to the show, when do you think he will start playing LF/RF in AA?

[Hart]

He is not drawing the walks early on in Double A but I am sure they will come. At the rate he keeps performing at each successive level, he could be due for a call-up middle of next season and that would not even have to be considered rushing him.

[tiger337]

His hands are pretty bad too...which comes into play much more as an infielder than as an outfielder but it certainly doesn't help as an outfielder either.

The point I was making is that his problems don't have anything to do with the size of LF in Comerica. He would have the same problems in RF as LF. Anyway, I still maintain that he is an average LF compared to other LF in baseball. He doesn't look pretty but his range and arm make up for a lot of his miscues.

[Yoda]

Love to see he is performing so well.

If most people believe he will be an OF when he gets to the show, when do you think he will start playing LF/RF in AA?

I think this gets over-stated a bit. It would be nice to have him playing OF more often, but they could play him in the OF for a few games in Detroit as early as this September without having had a whole lot of practice, if any game-time practice at all. We've all caught fly balls before and I'm pretty sure he practices playing in the OF already even if he isn't playing in games. It isn't hard to hang out in RF/LF during BP... 3B is much more difficult so it makes more sense to keep him there until you're sure you absolutely have to make a move.

He is not drawing the walks early on in Double A but I am sure they will come. At the rate he keeps performing at each successive level, he could be due for a call-up middle of next season and that would not even have to be considered rushing him.

It wouldn't be rushing him at all, IMO. But I don't think bringing him up a bit this September would be rushing him either. The Tigers are notorious for wanting to give top prospects a taste of what it's like in the Majors before officially promoting them.

[Oblong]

His value to other teams would be higher if he's still a 3B. I agree iwth not moving him to OF until all options are exhausted for the Detroit Tigers ballclub, meaning the ML team specifically. If after next year he is still in the organization then they can let him play in a winter league as an OF and come into 2014 as the LF.

[Yoda]

They need an OFer for next year. If not two. They won't wait until the end of next season, IMO.

[STLTiger69]

His value to other teams would be higher if he's still a 3B. I agree iwth not moving him to OF until all options are exhausted for the Detroit Tigers ballclub, meaning the ML team specifically. If after next year he is still in the organization then they can let him play in a winter league as an OF and come into 2014 as the LF.

+1

Just curious, could he learn OF in spring training for the 2013?

[Gehringer_2]

The point I was making is that his problems don't have anything to do with the size of LF in Comerica. He would have the same problems in RF as LF. Anyway, I still maintain that he is an average LF compared to other LF in baseball. He doesn't look pretty but his range and arm make up for a lot of his miscues.

I know I pick on Raburn's miscues a lot but on net I agree with you - especially since the average LF in the majors is not that good a fielder anyway.. I've said before that I think Raburn is one of the hardest to categorize players I've ever watched. No doubt his physical talent is more than adequate and I think he does most things in the OF well enough, it's just that once a while his brain seems to misfire right at the point of actually catching the ball. I don't know how else to explain it. He will look fine on any number of good and even difficult plays then just out of the blue have the ball bounce off the side of his glove or some similar gross miss. I guess I'd call him skilled but partially/slightly (depending on opinion) unreliable.

But this year the questions around his fielding issues for good or ill are being made moot by the fact this he has misplaced his hitting shoes. No matter what he is or is not worth in the field no one can argue he is not net useless at his current offensive production rate.

I suppose with Dirks, Delmon, Boesch, Kelly and Dirks to choose from, DD probably thought he had a bad year from any one of the potential corner OFs covered. That *all* are in the tank offensively with the unhelpful exception of Dirks on the DL is certainly worse than the worse case I expected. Sort of like the pitching in 2008.

[tiger337]

I suppose with Dirks, Delmon, Boesch, Kelly and Dirks to choose from, DD probably thought he had a bad year from any one of the potential corner OFs covered. That *all* are in the tank offensively with the unhelpful exception of Dirks on the DL is certainly worse than the worse case I expected. Sort of like the pitching in 2008.

and, at the same time, center field is turning out to a beyond my wildest dreams scenario so far.

[Tim Mitchell]

Looks like Nicky C. is adjusting to AA pitching in a big way.
The top prospects do that.
The great hitters learn quick.
Nicky C. is the real deal.
Last 5 games, after a rocky start, 10-22 5HR 9RBI.
He will be up in Sept. if not sooner. He will spark us like these other young kids have ala Harper, Trout, Lawrie.
Anyone who wants to trade this guy or even thinks DD will consider just that, need to think again.

[Yoda]

A double and 2 RBI last night.

[RedRamage]

He will be up in Sept. if not sooner. He will spark us like these other young kids have ala Harper, Trout, Lawrie.
Anyone who wants to trade this guy or even thinks DD will consider just that, need to think again.

But what do you do with him in the field? Granted, Cabby may not be gold glove caliber at 3B, but I think he's shown us all that he's better than most of us expected. I'd say he's even average. If you get a SS with decent range (no offense Peralta... but you are getting long in the tooth and short in the leg) I don't see a problem with Cabby manning the hot corner for a number of years yet. And unless Nick ends up being a hitter of roughly Cabby's caliber, you're not going to move Cabby to make room for Nick.

I don't think Nick can play 2B... Can be play corner OF at all?

[Yoda]

Pretty sure the Tigers "plan B" is to move him to a corner OF spot. It wouldn't be that hard to do. I'm confident he could practice RF all offseason and play just as good as Boesch out there next year.

[RedRamage]

Pretty sure the Tigers "plan B" is to move him to a corner OF spot. It wouldn't be that hard to do. I'm confident he could practice RF all offseason and play just as good as Boesch out there next year.

Okay, then the next questions is: How does he project as a corner outfielder? I think right now he's projecting to be a good fielding and plus hitting thirdbaseman. If he's converted to OF, is he still going to be a plus hitting corner outfielder?

Or, to put it another way, might a team be willing to give up more in a trade for "Nick - High prospect 3Ber" than we would get production wise for holding on to "Nick - Good prospect OFer"?

[Yoda]

Why trade him? We need OFers. Nick is approaching elite hitting prospect, regardless of his position. He could very well be a Magglio-type hitter.

I'd still be just as excited about him even if he were already "just" an OFer. The kid can flat out hit.

[Mr. Bigglesworth]

I'd like to pop in and suggest that Miguel Cabrera is not an average defensive 3B in the majors, nor do I think Nick projects out to be an good fielding 3B.

[irvink]

Kevin Goldstein talked about Nick in a recent podcast, he said the only question about Castellanos is, "will be be really good or great?" He thought he could be anywhere from a 15 HR hitter to a 30+ guy.

Also, Henning has a decent piece up today on Nick...

Hit machine Nick Castellanos is Tigers' can't-miss kid | The Detroit News | detroitnews.com

[keyser343]

I think the Magglio comp isn't far off. I would like the White Sox Magglio with 30+ homers and hitting 300+, but in Comerica I would think Nick could do 20+ homers and .290 avg. He won't walk a ton, just like Maggs, but he would have above avg had/eye coordination and he uses the whole field. As an OF'er, .290 and 20+ homers is pretty good. If he does the .300 and 30 homers, then he could be a star.

[4hzglory]

I think the Magglio comp isn't far off. I would like the White Sox Magglio with 30+ homers and hitting 300+, but in Comerica I would think Nick could do 20+ homers and .290 avg. He won't walk a ton, just like Maggs, but he would have above avg had/eye coordination and he uses the whole field. As an OF'er, .290 and 20+ homers is pretty good. If he does the .300 and 30 homers, then he could be a star.

I understand why the power may be down in Comerica, but why the avg down? I would think his average would actually be up in Comerica.

[keyser343]

I understand why the power may be down in Comerica, but why the avg down? I would think his average would actually be up in Comerica.

Yes, I would think the bigger park would make an avg. higher, but it is hard to hit .300 in MLB. I don't want to just give him the elite avg. Many a prospect who hit .300 in the minors, don't always trend that way in the majors.

[Tim Mitchell]

[QUOTE=RedRamage;2751566]But what do you do with him in the field? Granted, Cabby may not be gold glove caliber at 3B, but I think he's shown us all that he's better than most of us expected. I'd say he's even average. If you get a SS with decent range (no offense Peralta... but you are getting long in the tooth and short in the leg) I don't see a problem with Cabby manning the hot corner for a number of years yet. And unless Nick ends up being a hitter of roughly Cabby's caliber, you're not going to move Cabby to make room for Nick.

Well....here is what you do.
Cabby to 1st, Nick C. to 3B Fielder to whoever will get us a 2B and/OF Victor at DH. We're hooked up.
Trade Fielder you say?...Cant happen?? We will see what our record is come All Star Break. That'll shake it up a tad.

[TigerNation]

Yes, I would think the bigger park would make an avg. higher, but it is hard to hit .300 in MLB. I don't want to just give him the elite avg. Many a prospect who hit .300 in the minors, don't always trend that way in the majors.

.300 isn't an elite average.

[Mr. Bigglesworth]

Fielder isn't going to be traded in the foreseeable future.

[tiger337]

I get the feeling that Fielder is very popular in Detroit and has boosted their attendance significantly. He is Illitch's man. I don't see him being traded.

[Microline133]

.300 isn't an elite average.

I disagree. If you project a guy to hit .300+ consistently in the big leagues, that's a potential 80 hitter.

I personally don't put an 80 on Castellanos' hitting ability. I've consistently put a 70 on him in the past and despite his success this year, I stick with that assessment. He's a .290+ hitter in the big leagues, with occasional seasons significantly better than that.

[DaYooperASBDT]

If the Tigers trade any minor leaguers, I would say they better move pitching first. Very few position prospects in sight.

[Microline133]

You could certainly argue that there's more position prospects than pitchers on the horizon.

[Yoda]

You could certainly argue that there's more position prospects than pitchers on the horizon.

Agreed. Speaking of, any thoughts on Guez?? It's hard not to think he could step in and perform better than young or boesch at this point. I have no idea how he plays in the field but he can't be that bad.

[Microline133]

Agreed. Speaking of, any thoughts on Guez?? It's hard not to think he could step in and perform better than young or boesch at this point. I have no idea how he plays in the field but he can't be that bad.

Everything in his game comes up a little short for me. Decent runner, fringy hitter, below-average power, solid defender, good arm....he's a really nice org guy for me. A blazing hot streak could get him a look as an extra outfielder for a brief stint.

[Yoda]

But a solid defender with good on-base skills could be useful when most of the Tigers outfield is horrible. It wouldn't take much to upgrade. Maybe he can stay hot for a bit like Berry has managed to do, which I still can't believe is actually happening.

[Microline133]

See I don't see him having good on-base skills in MLB. He's a free-swinger with holes in his swing and his lack of true power means pitchers are going to go right at him.

[tiger337]

Sounds like Young and Boesch this year.