Luis Castillo Makes A Series Of Positive Impressions

Even with their early-season trouble fielding a healthy rotation, the Reds did not regret their decision to trade Dan Straily to the Marlins.

Straily had stabilized the Marlins’ rotation this year like he did the Reds’ rotation last season, when he led the team in innings.

That’s OK. The Reds love what they’ve seen from 24-year-old Dominican righthander Luis Castillo, the top prospect in the January trade that also included reliever Austin Brice, a righthander who already had logged appearances in the Cincinnati bullpen.

Castillo made a positive first impression by showing off a 100 mph fastball in big league camp. He earned an assignment to Double-A Pensacola.

Farm director Jeff Graupe said he was impressed with Castillo’s intelligence and work ethic, two things that are more difficult to learn from a scouting report when a player arrives from another organization.

In addition to his fastball, Castillo has a plus changeup.

It is Castillo’s third pitch that will determine his future. One American League scout said at this point Castillo projects as a reliever because he lacks a true third pitch.

With the Marlins, Castillo threw a curveball, but the Reds switched him to a slider during big league camp.

“I just thought the break matched his arm action better,” Graupe said.

Castillo, who originally signed with the Giants in 2011 and has been traded twice, must continue to work on his slider, but Graupe is bullish on the pitch’s future.

“His slider is getting better,” Graupe said. “He’s flashing a really good one.”

Castillo also controls his fastball well despite his high-end velocity. Through his first nine starts at Pensacola, he struck out 42 and walked just seven. That included a 10-strikeout, no-walk performance against Birmingham on May 10.

— C. Trent Rosecrans covers the Reds for the Cincinnati Enquirer