Starlin Castro is the next great shortstop

Posted on April 2, 2010

Starlin Castro of the Chicago Cubs runs the bases during a spring training game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on March 14, 2010 at Tempe Diablo Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

 

It is always exciting to see and photograph a hot new rookie prospect for the first time during spring training. I have already written this week about the assignments I had last month for Sports Illustrated in Arizona to shoot Carlos Santana, Aroldis Chapman, and Kyle Blanks. Now I want to tell you about the young man who might be the best young player I saw down in the Cactus League: rookie Chicago Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro. Castro is a 20-year-old kid from the Dominican Republic who has all the tools to become a huge fan-favorite at Wrigley Field who might eventually lead the Cubs to, dare I say it, their first World Series championship in over 100 years.

I was assigned to shoot Castro on a sun-splashed afternoon in Tempe when the Cubs were playing the Angels. Castro was not starting the game, so I shot the regulars for the first several innings waiting for the chance to photograph the much-heralded rookie. He did not disappoint. In the few innings I saw him play he lashed a double to the wall in left field, ran the bases like a deer, made a great play in the hole at short and turned a nifty double play. The game ended too quickly and that was the last I saw of Castro during my stay in Arizona. Even though my exposure to him was brief I could understand why there was so much hype surrounding this kid, making him the number one prospect in the Cubs organization.

Before Castro was sent down to the minor league camp he hit a robust .433 collecting 13 hits and 5 RBIs in 14 games. When he was sent down a few weeks ago he spoke to reporters through his interpreter, teammate Geovany Soto. “I felt good with the experience, first time being up here,” Castro said. “I’m going to go down there and work hard and try to get back up here as soon as possible. I’m ready,” Castro said. “I’m ready to play in the big leagues.”

The Cubs will open the season next week with Ryan Theriot manning shortstop, but it is only a matter of time before Castro gets the call to be the best Cubs shortstop since Ernie Banks. Let’s play two!