Kervin Castro

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked San Francisco Giants #18 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: The Giants’ 2015 international class has produced two pieces of its big league bullpen so far. In addition to fireballer Camilo Doval, San Francisco shelled out $100,000 for Castro, a converted catcher who had been pitching for just three months when he signed. Thanks to Tommy John surgery that cost him the bulk of two seasons, Castro had only reached short-season ball when he earned a spot on the 40-man roster after the 2019 season. He turned in a dominant showing at Triple-A Sacramento in 2021 and made his big league debut on Sept. 7.
  
  Scouting Report: Castro’s rise from the low minors to the big leagues in such a short time span centered around the improvements he showed at instructional league in 2020. There, his fastball began touching the 96-97 mph range. He sustained that velocity in 2021, when his fastball sat 95 mph and touched 98. Like many pitchers in the Giants system, Castro’s pitch mix is equipped to play the north-south game. He pairs his fastball with a low-80s curveball with plenty of downward bite. Castro will mix in the occasional cut fastball, but his approach is mostly predicated on tunneling his curveball off of his four-seamer. He’s more of a control over command type of pitcher and isn’t likely to fit in high-leverge situations without improvements to his command.
  
  The Future: Castro will likely enter 2022 in the mix for a spot in the big league bullpen. If he doesn’t earn a spot out of camp, he will likely go back and forth between Triple-A Sacramento and San Francisco.
  
• 
  Ranked San Francisco Giants #24 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: The Giants signed Castro in 2015 just three months after he'd converted from catching to pitching. He started his career in the Dominican Summer League in 2016 and missed most of the next two seasons after having Tommy John surgery. He returned in 2019 with short-season Salem-Keizer, where he showed excellent command while helping the Volcanoes reach the playoffs. Castro spent the 2020 coronavirus shutdown working out in Orlando with fellow Venezuelan players who were unable to return home due to travel restrictions. He got back on the mound during instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Castro throws a fastball that sits 93-94 mph and has begun touching 96-97 mph, a significant spike from what he showed in his first year back from surgery. He pairs his fastball with a downer curveball that took significant steps forward and now flashes plus, especially when tunneled off of his four-seamer. He has a changeup, which he throws with excellent conviction and arm speed, but it is a clear third pitch. Castro commands his arsenal well with a short, compact arm stroke.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Giants placed Castro on the 40-man roster after he starred in instructional league. He will likely begin 2021 at high Class A and could move quickly as a reliever.

• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: The Giants’ 2015 international class has produced two pieces of its big league bullpen so far. In addition to fireballer Camilo Doval, San Francisco shelled out $100,000 for Castro, a converted catcher who had been pitching for just three months when he signed. Thanks to Tommy John surgery that cost him the bulk of two seasons, Castro had only reached short-season ball when he earned a spot on the 40-man roster after the 2019 season. He turned in a dominant showing at Triple-A Sacramento in 2021 and made his big league debut on Sept. 7.
  
  Scouting Report: Castro’s rise from the low minors to the big leagues in such a short time span centered around the improvements he showed at instructional league in 2020. There, his fastball began touching the 96-97 mph range. He sustained that velocity in 2021, when his fastball sat 95 mph and touched 98. Like many pitchers in the Giants system, Castro’s pitch mix is equipped to play the north-south game. He pairs his fastball with a low-80s curveball with plenty of downward bite. Castro will mix in the occasional cut fastball, but his approach is mostly predicated on tunneling his curveball off of his four-seamer. He’s more of a control over command type of pitcher and isn’t likely to fit in high-leverge situations without improvements to his command.
  
  The Future: Castro will likely enter 2022 in the mix for a spot in the big league bullpen. If he doesn’t earn a spot out of camp, he will likely go back and forth between Triple-A Sacramento and San Francisco.
  
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The Giants signed Castro in 2015 just three months after he'd converted from catching to pitching. He started his career in the Dominican Summer League in 2016 and missed most of the next two seasons after having Tommy John surgery. He returned in 2019 with short-season Salem-Keizer, where he showed excellent command while helping the Volcanoes reach the playoffs. Castro spent the 2020 coronavirus shutdown working out in Orlando with fellow Venezuelan players who were unable to return home due to travel restrictions. He got back on the mound during instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Castro throws a fastball that sits 93-94 mph and has begun touching 96-97 mph, a significant spike from what he showed in his first year back from surgery. He pairs his fastball with a downer curveball that took significant steps forward and now flashes plus, especially when tunneled off of his four-seamer. He has a changeup, which he throws with excellent conviction and arm speed, but it is a clear third pitch. Castro commands his arsenal well with a short, compact arm stroke.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Giants placed Castro on the 40-man roster after he starred in instructional league. He will likely begin 2021 at high Class A and could move quickly as a reliever.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The Giants signed Castro in 2015 just three months after he'd converted from catching to pitching. He started his career in the Dominican Summer League in 2016 and missed most of the next two seasons after having Tommy John surgery. He returned in 2019 with short-season Salem-Keizer, where he showed excellent command while helping the Volcanoes reach the playoffs. Castro spent the 2020 coronavirus shutdown working out in Orlando with fellow Venezuelan players who were unable to return home due to travel restrictions. He got back on the mound during instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Castro throws a fastball that sits 93-94 mph and has begun touching 96-97 mph, a significant spike from what he showed in his first year back from surgery. He pairs his fastball with a downer curveball that took significant steps forward and now flashes plus, especially when tunneled off of his four-seamer. He has a changeup, which he throws with excellent conviction and arm speed, but it is a clear third pitch. Castro commands his arsenal well with a short, compact arm stroke.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Giants placed Castro on the 40-man roster after he starred in instructional league. He will likely begin 2021 at high Class A and could move quickly as a reliever.