%20%20--%3E%0A%3Csvg%20version%3D%221.1%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20xmlns%3Axlink%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F1999%2Fxlink%22%20x%3D%220px%22%20y%3D%220px%22%0A%09%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201280.6%20200%22%20style%3D%22enable-background%3Anew%200%200%201280.6%20200%3B%22%20xml%3Aspace%3D%22preserve%22%3E%0A%3Cstyle%20type%3D%22text%2Fcss%22%3E%0A%09.st0%7Bfill%3A%23231F20%3B%7D%0A%09.st1%7Bfill%3A%23111111%3B%7D%0A%09.st2%7Bfill%3A%23FFB00D%3B%7D%0A%09.st3%7Bfill%3A%23FFFFFF%3B%7D%0A%3C%2Fstyle%3E%0A%3Cg%20id%3D%22Template%22%3E%0A%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3Cg%20id%3D%22Layer_2%22%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M117.1%2C40.1c0-4.8%2C2.3-10%2C7-15.4c-0.3-0.3-10-7.9-29.3-22.7H7.5L7.4%2C2.1C2.5%2C17.1%2C0%2C24.7%2C0%2C25.1%0A%09%09c5.4%2C6.1%2C8.1%2C12.7%2C8.1%2C19.5v112.8c0%2C6.9-2.7%2C13.4-8.1%2C19.5c0.5%2C1.9%2C1.9%2C6.4%2C4.3%2C13.7c1.9%2C6.2%2C2.9%2C9.4%2C3.2%2C9.4h33.4l7.5-22.9%0A%09%09c-1.5-1.6-2.8-3.2-3.9-4.9c-2.9-5-4.3-9.7-4.3-14.1v-41h16.1l14.5%2C37.4c4.3%2C10.2%2C6.4%2C16.6%2C6.4%2C19.1v1.1c0%2C1.9-0.6%2C3.7-1.7%2C5.6%0A%09%09c0%2C0.4%2C0.3%2C1.1%2C1%2C2.1c4.8%2C8.9%2C8.1%2C14.8%2C9.9%2C17.6h32.5c0.1-0.7%2C1-8.4%2C2.7-23.2c-6-3.3-10.7-8.5-14.1-15.4%0A%09%09c-1.8-4.2-7.4-18.5-16.7-42.8c0-0.1%2C10.3-9.8%2C31-29.2c0-0.1-0.2-0.3-0.6-0.7c-2.9-1.9-4.3-5.3-4.3-10.3V74%0A%09%09C116.8%2C67%2C116.9%2C55.7%2C117.1%2C40.1z%20M84.9%2C75.1c-2.6%2C2.7-5.9%2C6-9.8%2C9.8H40.2V33.6h34.8c3.5%2C3.4%2C6.8%2C6.8%2C9.9%2C10V75.1z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M265.6%2C23.9c-3.3-10.6-5.2-16.3-5.4-17c-1.3-4.4-2-6.6-2.2-6.6h-33.2c-0.7%2C1.8-3.2%2C9.6-7.7%2C23.4%0A%09%09c1.2%2C1.3%2C2.4%2C2.8%2C3.5%2C4.5c3.2%2C5.2%2C4.7%2C10%2C4.7%2C14.5v117.1c-3.4%2C2.2-7.2%2C4.9-11.2%2C8.1h-26.5c-0.4-0.3-4.1-3-11.2-8.1%0A%09%09c-0.1-33.1-0.1-60.6-0.1-82.5V42.8c0-6.6%2C2.7-13.1%2C8.2-19.4c-1.3-4-2-6-2-6.1c-3.5-11.4-5.4-17-5.6-17h-33.6%0A%09%09c-4.9%2C15.2-7.4%2C22.9-7.4%2C23.2c1.1%2C1.3%2C2.3%2C2.7%2C3.5%2C4.3c3.1%2C5.2%2C4.6%2C9.8%2C4.6%2C13.8v71.2c0%2C11.2%2C0%2C27%2C0.1%2C47.6c0%2C4.8-1.7%2C9.5-5%2C14.1%0A%09%09c-1.4%2C1.7-2.1%2C2.7-2.1%2C2.9c0.4%2C0.2%2C10.1%2C7.7%2C29.3%2C22.6h68.5c19.6-15.1%2C29.4-22.7%2C29.4-22.7V177c-1.8-1.9-3.1-3.8-4-5.7%0A%09%09c-1.9-4.2-2.8-8.8-2.8-13.8c-0.1-16.5-0.1-29.2-0.1-38.1V43.8C257.4%2C36.8%2C260.2%2C30.2%2C265.6%2C23.9z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M453.1%2C24.6c-4.7-15.4-7.2-23-7.4-23h-33.5c-0.3%2C0-1.2%2C2.2-2.8%2C6.6c-29.3%2C77.4-44%2C116.2-44%2C116.3h-0.3%0A%09%09C336.5%2C48.4%2C321.9%2C9.9%2C321.4%2C8.7c-1.7-4.7-2.7-7.1-2.9-7.1h-33.5l-7.4%2C22.9v0.1c5.5%2C6.2%2C8.2%2C12.7%2C8.2%2C19.5v115%0A%09%09c0%2C0.7-0.2%2C1.8-0.6%2C3.5c-1.5%2C6-4%2C10.8-7.5%2C14.4c0.7%2C2.3%2C2.2%2C7.3%2C4.7%2C14.8c1.6%2C5.5%2C2.5%2C8.2%2C2.8%2C8.2h33.2l0.1-0.1L326%2C177%0A%09%09c-4.1-4.8-6.5-9-7.1-12.6c-0.8-0.9-1.3-6.4-1.3-16.5V90.9h0.1c0.5%2C1.2%2C7.2%2C19.4%2C20.2%2C54.7c3.3%2C7.8%2C5%2C14.1%2C5%2C19%0A%09%09c0%2C5.5-1.4%2C9.8-4.3%2C12.8c0.7%2C2.3%2C2.9%2C8.3%2C6.6%2C17.9c1%2C3.2%2C1.7%2C4.7%2C2%2C4.7h36.4c0.4-0.9%2C3.2-8.5%2C8.5-22.6v-0.1%0A%09%09c-2.8-3.1-4.2-7.3-4.2-12.7v-0.3c0-3%2C0.4-6%2C1.3-9.1l23.7-64.3h0.1v59.7c0%2C8.1-0.5%2C13.1-1.5%2C15.1c-0.9%2C3.5-3.2%2C7.3-6.7%2C11.3%0A%09%09c3.3%2C10.6%2C5.2%2C16.6%2C5.7%2C18c0.9%2C3.3%2C1.5%2C5%2C1.8%2C5h33.1l0.3-0.1l7.3-22.7V177c-0.9-1.1-2.1-2.7-3.6-4.6c-2.9-5.2-4.3-9.6-4.3-13.3%0A%09%09v-115C445%2C37.2%2C447.7%2C30.7%2C453.1%2C24.6z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st3%22%20d%3D%22M579.8%2C133.3c0-0.5%2C0-0.9%2C0.1-1.3c0.4-3.9%2C2.6-8.3%2C6.7-13.1v-0.1l-17-13.3c-2.3-1.5-4.1-3.2-5.3-5.2%0A%09%09c13.7-10.4%2C21.1-16.1%2C22.2-17.2l-2.4-2.9c-2.9-4.5-4.3-7.9-4.3-10.2V38.5c0-0.4%2C0-0.7%2C0.1-1c0.3-3.3%2C2.5-7.5%2C6.6-12.6v-0.1%0A%09%09l-14.4-11.2c-5.8-4.3-10.7-8.3-14.7-12h-84.9c-0.5%2C1.2-3%2C9-7.5%2C23.4l2.8%2C3.6c3.5%2C5.5%2C5.3%2C10.3%2C5.3%2C14.5v115.6%0A%09%09c0%2C0.5-0.1%2C1.5-0.4%2C3.2c-1.6%2C6.4-4.1%2C11.4-7.7%2C14.8c4.7%2C15.4%2C7.3%2C23.2%2C7.5%2C23.2h84.7c0.1%2C0%2C0.6-0.4%2C1.4-1.1%0A%09%09c18-13.9%2C27.3-21.2%2C28.1-21.9c-4.7-5.4-7-10.4-7-15.1V133.3z%20M547.7%2C158.1c-5.3%2C5.5-8.6%2C8.8-9.9%2C9.9H505v-51.2h32.9%0A%09%09c2.7%2C2.7%2C6%2C6%2C9.8%2C9.9V158.1z%20M547.7%2C74.8c-2.6%2C2.8-5.9%2C6.1-9.8%2C9.9H505V33.6h32.8c3.5%2C3.3%2C6.8%2C6.7%2C9.9%2C9.9V74.8z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st3%22%20d%3D%22M728.3%2C23.9c-3.3-10.6-5.2-16.3-5.4-17c-1.3-4.4-2-6.6-2.2-6.6h-33.2c-0.7%2C1.8-3.2%2C9.6-7.7%2C23.4%0A%09%09c1.2%2C1.3%2C2.4%2C2.8%2C3.5%2C4.5c3.2%2C5.2%2C4.7%2C10%2C4.7%2C14.5v117.1c-3.4%2C2.2-7.2%2C4.9-11.2%2C8.1h-26.5c-0.4-0.3-4.1-3-11.2-8.1%0A%09%09c-0.1-33.1-0.1-60.6-0.1-82.5V42.8c0-6.6%2C2.7-13.1%2C8.2-19.4c-1.3-4-2-6-2-6.1c-3.5-11.4-5.4-17-5.6-17H606%0A%09%09c-4.9%2C15.2-7.4%2C22.9-7.4%2C23.2c1.1%2C1.3%2C2.3%2C2.7%2C3.5%2C4.3c3.1%2C5.2%2C4.6%2C9.8%2C4.6%2C13.8v71.2c0%2C11.2%2C0%2C27%2C0.1%2C47.6c0%2C4.8-1.7%2C9.5-5%2C14.1%0A%09%09c-1.4%2C1.7-2.1%2C2.7-2.1%2C2.9c0.4%2C0.2%2C10.1%2C7.7%2C29.3%2C22.6h68.5c19.6-15.1%2C29.4-22.7%2C29.4-22.7V177c-1.8-1.9-3.1-3.8-4-5.7%0A%09%09c-1.9-4.2-2.8-8.8-2.8-13.8c-0.1-16.5-0.1-29.2-0.1-38.1V43.8C720.1%2C36.8%2C722.8%2C30.2%2C728.3%2C23.9z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st3%22%20d%3D%22M864%2C36c0.8-4%2C3.2-8.2%2C7.1-12.6c0-0.5-2-7-6.1-19.7c-0.7-2.5-1.1-3.8-1.4-3.8h-33.2L823%2C23.2%0A%09%09c1.2%2C1.3%2C2.4%2C2.8%2C3.5%2C4.6c3.1%2C5%2C4.6%2C9.4%2C4.6%2C13.1v79.4h-0.1c-0.1-0.5-13.5-35.3-40.3-104.5c-3.8-10.2-5.9-15.5-6.1-15.8H748%0A%09%09l-7.4%2C23c0%2C0.3%2C0.1%2C0.5%2C0.3%2C0.7c5.3%2C6%2C8%2C12.6%2C8%2C19.5v104.5c0%2C3.7-0.3%2C8-0.8%2C13c-0.7%2C5.3-3.3%2C10.5-7.8%2C15.6c0%2C0.4%2C1.3%2C4.5%2C3.9%2C12.3%0A%09%09c2.3%2C7.5%2C3.6%2C11.3%2C3.9%2C11.3h33.6l7.7-23.7c-3.4-4.2-5.6-7.7-6.6-10.6c-1.3-2.7-2-8.5-2-17.4V79.8h0.1%0A%09%09c20.1%2C52.5%2C33.6%2C87.6%2C40.6%2C105.4c3.6%2C9.9%2C5.5%2C14.8%2C5.7%2C14.8h36.1l7.5-23.2c-1-1.1-2.3-2.8-3.9-5c-2.7-5-4-8.9-4-11.6V41.6%0A%09%09C863%2C40.3%2C863.4%2C38.4%2C864%2C36z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st3%22%20d%3D%22M897.9%2C3.2c-0.6%2C0.8-7.8%2C14.7-21.6%2C41.5c0%2C0.1%2C0.4%2C0.5%2C1.1%2C1.1c8.9%2C5.2%2C14.8%2C8.7%2C17.6%2C10.6h0.3%0A%09%09c2.8-4.2%2C6.3-8.4%2C10.5-12.7c6.8-5.9%2C13.9-8.8%2C21.2-8.8h11v121.8c0%2C7-2.7%2C13.4-8.1%2C19.4c1.9%2C6.1%2C3.2%2C10.1%2C3.9%2C12%0A%09%09c2.3%2C7.9%2C3.6%2C11.9%2C3.9%2C11.9h32.5l0.1-0.1c0.4-0.7%2C2.9-8.6%2C7.7-23.6c-5.4-6.2-8.1-12.7-8.1-19.5V34.9h11c3.7%2C0%2C7.6%2C0.9%2C11.6%2C2.7%0A%09%09c3.1%2C1%2C6.6%2C3.4%2C10.5%2C7.1c3.7%2C3.7%2C6.9%2C7.6%2C9.6%2C11.7c0.4%2C0%2C6.7-3.9%2C19-11.6c-13.8-26.8-21-40.7-21.6-41.6H897.9z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st3%22%20d%3D%22M1101.3%2C32.5c5.1%2C0%2C10.4%2C1.5%2C15.9%2C4.6c2.1%2C1.5%2C4.2%2C3.1%2C6.1%2C4.7c3.8%2C3.9%2C7.3%2C8%2C10.3%2C12.4%0A%09%09c0.7-0.2%2C7-4.1%2C19.1-11.7c-10.9-21-16.5-31.9-16.9-32.5c-3-6-4.7-9.3-5.2-9.6h-58.5c-6.1%2C0-15.9%2C0-29.2-0.1l-7.4%2C23%0A%09%09c0%2C0.2%2C0.1%2C0.4%2C0.4%2C0.6c5.2%2C6%2C7.8%2C12.6%2C7.8%2C19.5v114c0%2C2.7-0.6%2C5.7-1.8%2C9.1c-1%2C3.2-3.2%2C6.6-6.4%2C10.3c2.4%2C8%2C4.4%2C14%2C5.9%2C18%0A%09%09c0.9%2C3.4%2C1.5%2C5.2%2C1.8%2C5.2h44.1c10%2C0%2C24.5%2C0%2C43.4-0.1l21.9-42c0-0.2-0.5-0.6-1.4-1.1c-8.7-5.3-14.6-8.9-17.6-10.9l-3.8%2C4.9%0A%09%09c-2.1%2C3.2-5.6%2C6.7-10.3%2C10.7c-6.1%2C4.2-12.2%2C6.3-18.1%2C6.3h-25.4c0.1-17.7%2C0.1-31.4%2C0.1-41.3v-9.9h35.6l0.1-0.1%0A%09%09c-3.4-15.7-5.2-23.6-5.3-23.6c-1.1-5.8-1.8-8.7-2.1-8.7h-28.3c-0.1-15.2-0.1-26.8-0.1-35V32.5H1101.3z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st3%22%20d%3D%22M1278.3%2C89.5c0-0.1-0.2-0.3-0.6-0.7c-2.9-1.9-4.3-5.3-4.3-10.3V74c0-7%2C0.1-18.3%2C0.3-33.9c0-4.8%2C2.3-10%2C7-15.4%0A%09%09c-0.3-0.3-10-7.9-29.3-22.7h-87.2l-0.1%2C0.1c-4.9%2C15-7.4%2C22.7-7.4%2C23c5.4%2C6.1%2C8.1%2C12.7%2C8.1%2C19.5v112.8c0%2C6.9-2.7%2C13.4-8.1%2C19.5%0A%09%09c0.5%2C1.9%2C1.9%2C6.4%2C4.3%2C13.7c1.9%2C6.2%2C2.9%2C9.4%2C3.2%2C9.4h33.4l7.5-22.9c-1.5-1.6-2.8-3.2-3.9-4.9c-2.9-5-4.3-9.7-4.3-14.1v-41h16.1%0A%09%09l14.5%2C37.4c4.3%2C10.2%2C6.4%2C16.6%2C6.4%2C19.1v1.1c0%2C1.9-0.6%2C3.7-1.7%2C5.6c0%2C0.4%2C0.3%2C1.1%2C1%2C2.1c4.8%2C8.9%2C8.1%2C14.8%2C9.9%2C17.6h32.5%0A%09%09c0.1-0.7%2C1-8.4%2C2.7-23.2c-6-3.3-10.7-8.5-14.1-15.4c-1.8-4.2-7.4-18.5-16.7-42.8C1247.3%2C118.5%2C1257.6%2C108.8%2C1278.3%2C89.5z%0A%09%09%20M1241.4%2C75.1c-2.6%2C2.7-5.9%2C6-9.8%2C9.8h-34.9V33.6h34.8c3.5%2C3.4%2C6.8%2C6.8%2C9.9%2C10V75.1z%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A)
Pittsburgh Pirates: 2021 Outlook for Rodolfo Castro
By Marty Leap
Prior to December’s Rule 5 Draft the Pittsburgh Pirates added infield prospect Rodolfo Castro to the 40-man roster in order to protect him from the draft. While Castro has yet to play above the High-A level, it is easy to see why the Pirates wanted to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft.
Castro is a switch hitting middle infielder with the potnetial to hit for power. This is not a combination of skills that is easy to find. Had Castro been left unprotected, odds are, a team would have selected him in the Rule 5 Draft.
FanGraphs ranks Castro as the 12th best prospect in the Pirate farm system. Castro is given a future value of 45 by FanGraphs, which indicates that they view him as a potential every day player in the Majors.
When Castro last played he split the 2019 season between Low-A Greensboro and High-A Bradenton and started to really flash his power. In 118 games played that season Castro hit for a .242/.298/.456 slash line to go with a .213 isolated power, 116 wRC+ and an extra base hit rate of 11.5%.
Now that Castro is on the 40-man roster, what could the 2021 season hold for him?
While Castro is all but a guarantee to start the season in the minor leagues, he could start the season at the Triple-A level. Even if he begins the season at Double-A Altoona, if he hits well, which he always has, he should reach Indianapolis quickly.
While the Pittsburgh Pirates currently have a lot of middle infield options, it is unclear how many of these options are good options. Adam Frazier is sitll likely to be traded. Outside of a fraudulent 2019 season, Kevin Newman has struggled in his three MLB seasons. Cole Tucker is a plus defensive player who is surrounded with offensive question marks, and Erik Gonzalez is in a similar boat. Offseason minor league free agent signing Wilmer Difo is a bench utility man.
Due to this, despite what could appear to be a middle infield logjam, there could be opportunities for Castro to play for the Pirates this season. If Castro performs well at Triple-A then he will most likely get at least an opportunity off the Pirate bench this season.
Next. Black History Month Honors Andrew McCutchen. dark
Castro’s ability to switch hit and play both shortstop and second base will add to the value he can add to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2021. Being a switch hitter Derek Shelton could use Castro to pinch hit agaisnt both left and right-handed hitters. With 2021 being a season all about giving young players an opportunity to prove themselves, Castro could fit this mold.