Nicholas Castellanos Signs With Cincinnati Reds
Nicholas Castellanos has agreed to a four year deal with the Cincinnati Reds. The deal is said to be worth 16 million dollars per year. The slugger is heading into his age 28 season, and the first to report was Jon Heyman.
Castellanos deal is for 4 years believed to be for 16M a year. Plus opt out(s) #reds
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 27, 2020
The Numbers
Castellanos has been on the market for a fair amount of time compared to other big stars. The outfielder’s bat leaves no question marks, especially after getting out of the rebuilding Detroit Tigers organization. The 28-year-old slashed .321/.356/.646 down the stretch for the Chicago Cubs after being traded. He hit 16 home runs with 21 doubles and 36 RBIs in 51 games with the Cubs. All told, his 2019 was a huge success where he slashed .289/.337/.525 with 27 home runs and 58 doubles.
The bat leaves no question marks, as Castellanos has been productive for the Tigers during his career. He has three straight seasons of 20+ home runs, along with an OPS north of .800 for four straight years. The trouble is his defense and finding a home for him. He has never posted a year with positive defensive runs saved, and all told he has been worth -100 DRS for his entire career. He has seen time in the corner outfields and at third base throughout his career.
Nicholas Castellanos will provide the Reds with a solid right-handed bat to put in the middle of their lineup for the duration of his contract. The question remains as to where the team will put him defensively, as that has been his crutch since the beginning.
Castellanos was drafted during the 1st round of the 2010 MLB Draft. He worked his way up the ranks and made his debut in 2013 at the age of 21. Castellanos is a native of Southwest Ranches, FL.
Outlook
The Reds are loading up for a playoff run in 2020. Having acquired starting pitcher Trevor Bauer during the past season and adding Wade Miley as a free agent the Reds have their best starting rotation in years. Luis Castillo and Sonny Gray fill out the rest of the rotation.
Castellanos joins the other offensive free agent signings of Mike Moustakas and Shogo Akiyama. The National League Central just got a lot more competitive.
