Jason Castro (baseball)

Jason Castro

Castro at spring training in 2015
Minnesota Twins – No. 21
Catcher
Born: (1987-06-18) June 18, 1987
Castro Valley, California
Bats: Left Throws: Right
MLB debut
June 22, 2010, for the Houston Astros
MLB statistics
(through 2016 season)
Batting average .232
Home runs 62
Runs batted in 212
Teams
Career highlights and awards
Jason Castro
Medal record
Men's baseball
Representing  United States
Baseball World Cup
2009 Nettuno National team

Jason Michael Castro (born June 18, 1987) is an American professional baseball catcher for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for the Houston Astros. Castro played college baseball at Stanford University. He was selected by the Astros in the first round of the 2008 Major League Baseball draft and made his MLB debut with them in 2010. Castro was a reserve catcher for the 2013 All-Star Game. He is of Mexican ancestry.

Early life

Castro was born in Castro Valley, California.[1] He played high school baseball at Castro Valley High School.[2]

He played college baseball at Stanford University where he was initiated into the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and was named the club's most valuable player his junior year.[3][4] He played in the Cape Cod League during the summer of 2007.

Castro was selected by the Astros in the first round (tenth overall) of the 2008 Major League Baseball draft.[5]

Minor leagues

Castro started in Single-A for the Tri-City ValleyCats in 2008. He was promoted to play for the Class AA Corpus Christi Hooks on June 7, 2009[6] after playing in Advanced-A for the Lancaster JetHawks and played his first game for the team on June 10. He also played for the U.S. team in the Baseball World Cup in Nettuno, Italy.[7]

Castro was selected to play for the United States team in the 2009 All-Star Futures Game in St. Louis. In the game, he threw out a runner and hit a three-run home run.[8] He was ranked 53rd on Baseball America's list of "Top 100 Prospects" in 2009.[9] Shortly after the Futures Game, the Astros sent Castro home early from the Arizona Fall League so that he could rest for the 2010 season.[7]

Major league career

Houston Astros

On June 20, 2010, the Astros promoted Castro to the major leagues from the Class AAA Round Rock Express. Castro made his MLB debut on June 22, 2010 at Minute Maid Park against the San Francisco Giants. He singled off Tim Lincecum in his first career at-bat.[10] Castro hit his first major league home run on June 24, 2010 against Matt Cain.

On March 2, 2011, while playing in a spring training game against the Detroit Tigers, Castro suffered a knee injury while running to first base. Castro underwent surgery two days later on March 4 to repair his torn anterior cruciate ligament and a damaged meniscus. As a result, he missed the entire 2011 season.

On June 13, 2012, while pinch-hitting for Xavier Cedeño, Castro grounded out to Joaquin Arias to record the last out for Matt Cain's perfect game. He played 87 games in the 2012 season, finishing the year with a .257 batting average, 6 home runs and 29 RBI.[1]

Castro blocks a pitch during spring training in March 2015.

On May 20, 2013, Castro was awarded the honor of being American League Player of the Week.[11] He earned his first All-Star Game selection that season as a reserve catcher. He led the Astros with a .350 OBP. He set club catcher records with 63 runs, 18 home runs, and a .485 slugging percentage. In September, Castro had surgery to remove a cyst from his knee and missed the rest of the season. He played 120 games that year.[12]

After the 2013 season, Castro completed the degree that he had started at Stanford. When he was drafted, he was 25 credits shy of the degree. He had returned to Stanford in the 2010 offseason to begin taking the rest of the courses, but he was delayed somewhat by rehabilitation from his 2011 injury.[13]

Before the 2014 season, Castro signed a one-year contract with the Astros worth $2.45 million. Before the 2015 season, he signed another one-year contract with the Astros, worth $4 million.[1]

Minnesota Twins

On November 30, 2016, Castro signed a three-year contract worth $24.5 million with the Minnesota Twins.[14]

Personal

Castro married the former Maris Perlman in late 2012. They met at Stanford, where Perlman played lacrosse.[15] The couple has founded Castro's Kids, a Houston-area literacy program.[16]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Jason Castro Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 3, 2014.
  2. ↑ Rusty Simmons (March 30, 2005). "It's easy to see that catchers are rising stars / Six rated among nation's top 40". SFGate. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  3. ↑ Archived August 10, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
  4. ↑ "Scout.com: 2007-08 Honor Roll No. 1: Jason Castro". Stanford.scout.com. June 28, 2008. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Astros take Castro in first round of Draft | MLB.com: News". Mlb.mlb.com. May 24, 2013. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Minor League Notebook: Castro promoted to Class AA – Houston Chronicle". Chron.com. June 9, 2009. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  7. 1 2 "Catcher Jason Castro wraps up eventful season". Corpus Christi Hooks. November 8, 2009. Retrieved August 3, 2014.
  8. ↑ http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2009_07_12_wftmin_uftmin_1&mode=gameday
  9. ↑ "Prospects: Rankings: Top 100 Prospects: Top 100 Prospects: No. 41-60". BaseballAmerica.com. February 24, 2009. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  10. ↑ "Jason Castro's FIRST MLB HIT and highlights of FIRST MLB GAME". YouTube. June 22, 2010. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Players of the Week | MLB.com: News". Mlb.mlb.com. May 24, 2013. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  12. ↑ "Jason Castro has knee surgery". MLB.com. Retrieved August 3, 2014.
  13. ↑ Snyder, Matt. "All-Star catcher Jason Castro now a Stanford graduate". CBS Sports. Retrieved August 3, 2014.
  14. ↑ "Twins, Jason Castro agree to deal". MLB.com. November 30, 2016. Retrieved November 30, 2016.
  15. ↑ "Memorable Weddings: Maris & Jason". Houston Lifestyles & Homes. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  16. ↑ "Astros catcher Jason Castro and wife Maris to host book drive June 29-30". MLB.com. June 24, 2013. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
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