Castellanos is Unsung Leader of Philadelphia Phillies' Clubhouse

Nick Castellanos has been an influential voice towards the Philadelphia Phillies' young players.

© Rhona Wise-USA TODAY Sports

When slugger Nick Castellanos was signed by the Philadelphia Phillies on March 22, excitement rang out throughout the Delaware Valley.

The Phillies had just acquired a MLB All-Star and Silver Slugger, who boasted an impressive 2021 stat line of .309/.362/.576, 34 home runs, and 100 RBI. 

Moreover, the 30-year-old exemplified in his introductory press conference how much he cares about winning. "I’ve played over 1,000 big league games and I have zero playoff wins," he said. "You know what I’m saying? So cool, like I’ve made money. I’ve hit homers. I’ve played on TV, but I haven’t won no games that matter. You know what I’m saying? I would like to do that."

What Philadelphia may not have realized at the time is they also acquired a clubhouse leader in Castellanos.

The Phillies' primary right fielder has been struggling as of late. He's batting just .185 with a .567 OPS over his last seven games, but behind the scenes, he's been a mentor to Philadelphia's young players.

"Nick told me, 'Hey, you've got to try and pull [Josh Hader],'" Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm said. "That's not something I really normally do. I'm thankful for him."

Alec Bohm high fives teammates after a home run against the Milwaukee Brewers / © Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Bohm got the rally started in Tuesday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers. He belted a solo home run to deep center field to tie the game at 2-2 in the ninth inning.

The improbable shot came off of Brewers' closer Hader, who previously held a 40-inning scoreless streak and hadn't blown a save since July 2021 before Tuesday night.

Castellanos faced Hader multiple times in his career, having hailed from the National League Central during his time with the Cincinnati Reds.

This isn't the first time Castellanos has shown support towards the Phillies' youth. In April, he had a message for Mickey Moniak, who had just landed on the injured list with a hand injury in the final game of spring training.

"It’s very unfortunate, no doubt. What I told him is that, even though he’s on the IL, I think it’s it’s important for him to travel with us," Castellanos said. "He’s had such a good spring. This unfortunate accident, I wouldn’t want him to feel disconnected. So my message to him was, 'Hey man, travel with us. Be a part of it.'"

Moniak did just that, and could be seen in the Phillies' dugout and re-posting photos on his Instagram story following big hits from his teammates and wins during his stint on the IL. These types of comments mean a lot to a young player.

Bryson Stott, who's been on a tear over the last week, slashing .385/.429/.808 with three home runs and eight RBI, was the most recent subject of Castellanos' praise.

"Castellanos said I look like I'm in Clearwater again, so I hope I can keep this going," Stott said following his four-hit night on Wednesday. "I feel way more relaxed and way more comfortable."

The Phillies' top prospect, of course, had a stellar spring training. The 24-year-old batted .406 with a pair of doubles, a home run, three RBI, and a 1.076 OPS.

To have Castellanos' veteran presence and influence around an abundance of budding, young players is invaluable. Certainly that, along with getting consistent reps at the plate, will help the Phillies' youth to thrive in the coming months.

"Anytime you can look around and you have All-Stars, guys that have led the whole league in certain categories is a beautiful thing," said Stott. "Not just on the field, they're quality individuals; off the field, on the field, they're just great to be around. Obviously, us young guys need to look up to them."

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