RADIO
Luis Castillo 2021 Player Outlook: Elite, Proven Starter
4 years agoCincinnati Reds starting pitcher Luis Castillo had a strong 2019 season, but still managed to improve in 2020, going 4-6 with a 3.21 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and a career-high 30.5% strikeout rate over 12 starts. Castillo mixed his four pitches well and threw each pitch about one MPH harder than he did in 2019. The added velocity only translated to a swinging-strike bump in his four-seamer, but he still posted a strong swinging-strike rate over 15% for his four-seamer, changeup, and slider. He also improved his batted-ball profile, allowing a career-low 2.2-degree launch angle and an average exit velocity in the 87th percentile of baseball. Overall, Castillo has proven that he is a top-tier fantasy starter despite pitching his home games in a hitter-friendly park. A current ADP of 30 puts Castillo as the 11th pitcher off the board, which seems perfectly reasonable.
