Diamondbacks 2022 Season Player Reviews: Humberto Castellanos

The right hander's season ended in Tommy John surgery

© Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

2022 Status: Pre Arb 2, League Minimum

Career	Games	Innings	Record	ERA	FIP	Avg WAR	BABIP	HR/9	BB/9	SO/9
2022	11	44.1	3-2	5.68	4.80	-0.2	.309	1.4	2.4	6.5
Career	33	100.2	5-5	5.45	4.95	0.0	.301	1.4	2.9	6.5

2022 Diamondbacks Season Reviews

Season Review

Right hander Humberto Castellanos was signed as an international free agent by the Houston Astros in 2015. The native of Mexico made his major league debut with that organization in 2020, working eight games in relief. He was placed on waivers in January 2021 and picked up by the Diamondbacks. Appearing in 14 games last year, he showed to warrant a chance in spring training of 2022 to make the opening day roster, which he did.

After making two early relief appearances Castellanos joined the rotation on April 17th. His first two starts went well, as he allowed just two runs over nine innings.  A rough outing against the Cardinals followed, in which he lasted just two innings, giving up five runs.  But then he pitched into the 6th inning in four straight starts, giving up just eight runs in 21.2 innings.  Through that point in the season he had a 3-1 record and 4.29 ERA. 

His next two starts were disasters however, likely due to impending elbow troubles. He gave up 11 runs over 8.2 innings in those starts before landing on the disabled list. After some down time he resumed a throwing program trying to get him back. Unfortunately he suffered a severe setback that ultimately required Tommy John surgery on August 9th, ending his season. 

Despite possessing a sinker that averages just barely over 90 MPH that has below average spin, the pitch had above average vertical movement. He utilized a five-pitch mix to keep hitters off balance while usually throwing strikes and inducing quick contact. Castellanos had a knack for getting past the fifth inning in many of his starts over the last two years. But when he makes location mistakes he gets hit hard and gives up a lot of homers. 

2023 Outlook

Castellanos, who will be entering his final pre-arbitration season, will likely miss all of 2023. If he does make it back, it will probably be just a couple of relief outings in mid-late September. That would be just 13 months after surgery. If he requires the longer period of 15 months to recover then he would not see major league action again before 2024. In the meantime the line of Diamondbacks starting pitching prospects has started to arrive and should continue filling the pipeline into 2024. If Castellanos is to have a future with the organization at all, it's likely to be out of the bullpen.