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Nick Castellanos 2022 Player Outlook: Power To Remain Elite In Another Hitter Friendly Park
3 years agoPhiladelphia Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos had a career year with the Cincinnati Reds last season, batting .309 with 34 HRs, 100 RBI, 95 runs, and three stolen bases in 138 games. His Statcast page backs up his performance, rewarding him with a .293 xBA and a .535 xSLG. Castellanos kept his barrel rate above 10% for the sixth straight season (10.6%), posted a 61st-percentile average exit velocity, and put the ball on the ground just 38% of the time, a good recipe for success. Some have been wary of drafting the 30-year-old with the uncertainty of his landing spot in free agency, considering he played at one of the most hitter-friendly parks in baseball the last two years. However, his power will play in most venues, and the Phillies home of Citizens Bank Park ranked fourth in inducing home runs in 2021. RosterResource has Castellanos batting second in the order, behind Kyle Schwarber and ahead of Bryce Harper, so he'll have no problem racking up close to 100 RBI and runs in the loaded lineup. Steamer projects him to slash .268/.329/.492 with 32 HRs, 97 RBI, 97 runs, and three stolen bases. This kind of production is worth his draft cost (62 ADP), and fantasy managers should take advantage.
