- Posts: 11871
- Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2012 7:30 pm
- Location: Near Roanoke VA
Many players, quite a few recently, with a lot less pre-hype didn't really take off until 26 years or older. Donaldson, Bautista, A, Gordon, Ortiz, to name a few. The player that comes to mind (with more power mind you) is Beltre. Here was a guy, who many said was destined for greatness, comes up at the age of 20 (like Castro), shows signs of his hype, though inconsistent for the most part, before something finally clicks. I won't say Castro will follow that path, but at age 26, I have seen enough talent in him to hang onto him for another year to see if a change of scenery (and coaching) brings out his full talent.
Let's also remember, the burden placed on him by having to be the face of the franchise at such a young age. Some players can handle the responsibility, others, not so much. Let's see what he can do just being able to blend in. I'm willing to take a chance with my 35th to 40th slot that he becomes an asset. Destined for stardom? Most likely no. Serviceable in future years? Maybe so. To me, he's worth the gamble of a wasted roster slot <shrug>.