Luis Castillo: Seattle Mariners Starting Pitcher – Family, Stats, Position, Contracts & more

Estimated read time 13 min read

Luis Castillo is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2017 with the Cincinnati Reds. Castillo is a three-time All-Star. Castillo was born in Baní, Dominican Republic. He signed with the Miami Marlins as an international free agent in 2011. He was traded to the Reds in 2016.

Castillo is a right-handed pitcher who is known for his fastball and splitter. He is also a good athlete and fielder.

Details about Luis Castillo’s Background:

  • Name: Luis Castillo
  • Position: Starting pitcher
  • Height: 6 feet, 2 inches
  • Weight: 200 pounds
  • Team: Seattle Mariners
  • Age: 30 (born December 12, 1992)
  • Nationality: Dominican
  • Previous clubs: Cincinnati Reds

In 2023, Castillo is having another strong season. He is 14-7 with a 3.06 ERA and 207 strikeouts. He is one of the best pitchers in the American League. Castillo is a talented and exciting pitcher to watch. He is a key part of the Mariners’ rotation and could help them win a World Series in the near future.

  • Castillo was named to the National League All-Star team in 2019, 2021, and 2022.
  • He was also named to the National League Gold Glove Award team in 2021.
  • Castillo is known for his competitive fire and his ability to pitch in big moments.
  • He is also a good teammate and is respected by his peers.

Castillo is one of the best young pitchers in baseball and is poised to have a long and successful career.

Strengths & Weaknesses of Luis Castillo:

Luis Castillo is a starting pitcher for the Seattle Mariners. He has a playing style that is influenced by his idol, Pedro Martínez, who is also a Dominican pitcher and a Hall of Famer. Here are some of his strengths and weaknesses on the field:

  • He has a powerful fastball that can reach up to 99 mph and averages around 96-97 mph. He can locate it well and generate swings and misses.
  • He has a devastating changeup that is one of the best in the majors. It has a lot of movement and deception, and he can throw it with the same arm speed as his fastball. He uses it as his main strikeout pitch, especially against left-handed hitters.
  • He has a solid slider that he can use as a third pitch to keep hitters off balance. It has a sharp break and can induce ground balls.
  • He is durable and consistent, having pitched in every game in each of the last two full seasons. He has also improved his command and control over the years, lowering his walk rate and increasing his strikeout rate.
  • He is a leader and a mentor for his teammates, especially young pitchers. He is well-respected and well-liked in the clubhouse, and he sets a good example with his work ethic and attitude.
  • He can be prone to giving up home runs, especially when he leaves his fastball up in the zone or hangs his slider. He allowed 28 homers in 2021, which was tied for the eighth-most among qualified starters.
  • He can be inconsistent at times, having some dominant outings and some rough ones. He can struggle with his command or lose his rhythm, leading to walks or hits. He had an ERA of 6.29 in April 2021, but then lowered it to 1.71 in May.
  • He can be affected by external factors, such as the weather, the umpires, or the defense behind him. He can get frustrated or lose his focus when things don’t go his way, which can affect his performance.

Tactical Role of Luis Castillo:

Castillo’s tactical role within the team is to be the ace of the rotation, meaning he is the best and most reliable pitcher on the staff. He is expected to pitch deep into games, limit runs, and give his team a chance to win every time he takes the mound. He is also expected to set the tone for the rest of the starters, who can learn from his experience and skills.

Castillo contributes to the overall strategy of the team by being a difference-maker who can dominate any lineup he faces. He can rack up strikeouts, induce weak contact, and prevent rallies. He can also pitch well in high-pressure situations, such as playoff games or close contests. He is one of the reasons why the Mariners are contenders in the AL West division and have a chance to make the postseason for the first time since 2001.

Hobbies & Interests of Luis Castillo:

  • He likes to play video games, especially FIFA and Call of Duty. He often plays online with his teammates and friends, and sometimes streams his gameplay on Twitch.
  • He is a fan of soccer, especially the Spanish club Real Madrid. He follows their games and players, and sometimes wears their jersey. He also enjoys playing soccer in his spare time, and says it helps him with his pitching.
  • He is interested in fashion and style, and likes to dress well and wear accessories. He has a collection of hats, sunglasses, watches, and shoes. He also has a personal stylist who helps him with his outfits.
  • He loves to travel and explore new places and cultures. He has visited many countries, such as Japan, Italy, France, and Mexico. He likes to try different foods and learn new languages. He also likes to take pictures and videos of his trips and share them on social media.
  • He is passionate about charity and community work, and supports various causes and organizations. He is involved in the MLB Players Trust, which provides grants and scholarships to students and athletes in need. He also participates in the Mariners Care program, which raises funds and awareness for local nonprofits. He also visits hospitals and schools, and mentors young players.

Net worth of Luis Castillo:

According to various sources, Luis Castillo has a net worth of around $20 million as of 2023. He signed a five-year, $108 million contract extension with the Mariners in September 2022, which includes a $7 million signing bonus and a vesting option for 2028. His annual salary is $21.6 million.

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Personal life of Luis Castillo:

Luis Castillo was born on December 12, 1992, in Baní, Peravia, Dominican Republic. He started playing baseball at a young age and was signed by the San Francisco Giants as an international free agent in December 2011. He made his major league debut with the Cincinnati Reds in June 2017 and was traded to the Seattle Mariners in July 2022.

Castillo is married to Elanyi Castillo, who is a homemaker. The couple got married in 2019 after dating for several years. They have two daughters together: Brittany, who was born in 2018, and Brianny, who was born a few years later. Castillo and his family live in Seattle during the season and in the Dominican Republic during the offseason. He is fluent in Spanish and English.

Family of Luis Castillo:

Castillo’s parents are Maria and Ricardo Castillo. He has a brother named Ricardo Castillo Jr., who is also a baseball player. Ricardo Jr. played in the minor leagues for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Baltimore Orioles from 2004 to 2010. He also played for the Dominican Republic national team in the World Baseball Classic in 2009 and 2013.

Height of Luis Castillo:

Castillo is 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) tall and weighs 200 pounds (90 kg). He bats right-handed and throws right-handed. He wears number 58 on his jersey.

Contracts of Luis Castillo:

Castillo has played for three teams in his major league career: the Cincinnati Reds, the San Diego Padres, and the Seattle Mariners. He signed his first professional contract with the San Francisco Giants in December 2011 for an undisclosed amount. He was traded to the Miami Marlins in December 2014, along with Kendry Flores, for Casey McGehee. He was then traded to the San Diego Padres in July 2016, along with Jarred Cosart, Josh Naylor, and Carter Capps, for Andrew Cashner, Colin Rea, and Tayron Guerrero. He was returned to the Marlins after Rea suffered an injury in his first start and was returned to the Padres.

He was then traded to the Cincinnati Reds in January 2017, along with Austin Brice and Isaiah White, for Dan Straily. He made his major league debut with the Reds in June 2017 and played for them until July 2022. He signed a one-year, $4.4 million contract with the Reds for the 2022 season, avoiding arbitration. He was then traded to the Seattle Mariners in July 2022, along with A.J. Pollock and cash considerations, for Jarred Kelenic, Logan Gilbert, and Taylor Trammell.

He signed a five-year, $108 million contract extension with the Mariners in September 2022, which includes a $7 million signing bonus and a vesting option for 2028. His total career earnings are estimated to be over $120 million.

Brands Associated:

Castillo has not been associated with any major brands or endorsements so far in his career. He does have an Instagram account where he posts pictures of his family, his teammates, and his baseball activities. He has over 100k followers on Instagram as of October 2023.

Awards & Achievements of Luis Castillo:

Awards and Honors of Luis Castillo:

  • 3× All-Star (2019, 2022, 2023).
  • NL Pitcher of the Month for March/April 2019.
  • Florida State League Pitcher of the Year in 2016.
  • Marlins Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2016.

Records and Milestones of Luis Castillo:

  • Led the NL in walks (75) in 2021.
  • Had the highest ground ball percentage of all major league pitchers (56.6%) in 2021.
  • Averaged 10.67 strikeouts per nine innings in 2019, the highest ratio in Reds history for pitchers with a minimum of 125 innings.
  • Became the first Reds pitcher to strike out at least 200 batters in a season since Johnny Cueto in 2014.
  • Became the first Reds pitcher to start on Opening Day in consecutive seasons since Aaron Harang in 2006-2009.

Statistics of Luis Castillo:

StatisticValue
Win–loss record62–63
Earned run average3.52
Strikeouts1,152
Innings pitched1,046.0
WHIP1.169
Statistics of Luis Castillo

Scouting Report of Luis Castillo:

CategoryGradeDescription
Fastball80Castillo has one of the best fastballs in the game, with elite velocity and arm strength. He can reach 101 mph and sits 96-97 mph with ease. His fastball is straight but explosive, and he can locate it well to both sides of the plate. He also mixes in a two-seamer with some sink and run.
Changeup60Castillo’s changeup is his best secondary pitch and a swing-and-miss weapon. He throws it in the high-80s with excellent arm speed and deception. It has late fade and tumble, and he can throw it to both lefties and righties. He has good feel and confidence for this pitch.
Slider50Castillo’s slider is an above-average pitch that he has improved over the years. He throws it in the mid-80s with a three-quarters arm angle, giving it depth and some curveball-like action. He can use it as a strikeout pitch or a backdoor pitch to lefties. He still needs to refine his consistency and command of this pitch.
Control55Castillo has shown fine control throughout his career, with a career walk rate of 2.4 per nine innings. He has a smooth delivery and a repeatable arm action that help him stay in the zone. He can throw all three of his pitches for strikes and rarely gets into trouble with walks.
Command50Castillo’s command is average but still developing. He can sometimes miss his spots or leave pitches over the plate, especially with his fastball and slider. He needs to work on changing speeds and eye levels more effectively and pitching to the corners more often. He also needs to avoid falling into predictable patterns and sequences.
Overall60Castillo is a frontline starter with a dominant fastball-changeup combination and a solid slider. He has the stuff, control, and makeup to be an ace in any rotation. He is durable, competitive, and resilient on the mound. He has been one of the best pitchers in the NL since his debut in 2017 and has helped the Mariners reach the playoffs in 2022 and 2023.
Scouting Report of Luis Castillo

Castillo is one of the most impactful pitchers in baseball, with a career ERA of 3.52 and a career WAR of 19.6 as of October 2023. He has been an All-Star three times (2019, 2022, 2023) and has led the NL in walks (75) in 2021. He has also had the highest ground ball percentage of all major league pitchers (56.6%) in 2021 and averaged 10.67 strikeouts per nine innings in 2019, the highest ratio in Reds history for pitchers with a minimum of 125 innings. He has been a key part of the Mariners’ success since joining them in July 2022, posting a 3.28 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP in 32 starts for them.

Castillo’s future prospects are bright, as he is under contract with the Mariners until at least 2027, with a vesting option for 2028. He is still only 30 years old and has shown no signs of decline or injury so far. He is expected to be the Mariners’ ace for years to come and lead them to more postseason appearances and possibly a World Series title.

FAQs about Luis Castillo:

How old is Luis Castillo?

Luis Castillo is 30 years old as of October 2023. He was born on December 12, 1992, in Baní, Peravia, Dominican Republic.

What is Luis Castillo’s nationality?

Luis Castillo is a Dominican-American. He was born and raised in the Dominican Republic and moved to the United States in 2012 after signing with the San Francisco Giants. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2019.

What is Luis Castillo’s pitching style?

Luis Castillo is a right-handed pitcher who relies on a fastball-changeup-slider mix. His fastball is his best pitch, with elite velocity and arm strength. He can reach 101 mph and sits 96-97 mph with ease. His changeup is his best secondary pitch and a swing-and-miss weapon. He throws it in the high-80s with excellent arm speed and deception. It has late fade and tumble, and he can throw it to both lefties and righties. His slider is an above-average pitch that he has improved over the years. He throws it in the mid-80s with a three-quarters arm angle, giving it depth and some curveball-like action. He can use it as a strikeout pitch or a backdoor pitch to lefties.

What are Luis Castillo’s career achievements?

Luis Castillo has been one of the best pitchers in the NL since his debut in 2017 and has helped the Mariners reach the playoffs in 2022 and 2023. He has been an All-Star three times (2019, 2022, 2023) and has led the NL in walks (75) in 2021. He has also had the highest ground ball percentage of all major league pitchers (56.6%) in 2021 and averaged 10.67 strikeouts per nine innings in 2019, the highest ratio in Reds history for pitchers with a minimum of 125 innings. He has also won several minor league awards, such as the Florida State League Pitcher of the Year and the Marlins Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2016.

How much does Luis Castillo make?

Luis Castillo makes $21.6 million per year as of October 2023. He signed a five-year, $108 million contract extension with the Mariners in September 2022, which includes a $7 million signing bonus and a vesting option for 2028. His total career earnings are estimated to be over $120 million.

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