Nicholas Castellanos has a new agent. How that impacts his future in Detroit

Anthony Fenech
Detroit Free Press

BOSTON — It wasn’t a decision Nicholas Castellanos made lightly, ranking as one of the toughest two of his life. But after making decisions in the best interests of others for who knows how long, this decision was going to be his.

Last weekend, after a couple long weeks of deliberation, Castellanos — the Detroit Tigers’ right fielder who is in line to be the youngest free agent on the off-season market — officially switched his player representation to Boras Corp., led by baseball’s biggest agent, Scott Boras.

Tigers' Nicholas Castellanos reacts after teammate Christin Stewart hit a grand slam during the seventh inning on Saturday, April 6, 2019, at Comerica Park.

Castellanos called the change a “business decision,” and given the sensitivity of the topic, didn’t want to expound further on the reasons why. He had been represented by SportsMeter and agent David Meter since his early teenage years, first as an advisor and then as a player agent.

Viewed through a business prism, the decision is certainly logical: Boras, who represents some of the highest-profile players in baseball — including Bryce Harper, who signed a 10-year, $330 million contract with the Phillies this spring — is known for getting players top dollar.

The money

With the free-agent market in flux since Major League Baseball and the Players’ Association brokered a new collective bargaining agreement three years ago, the move provides Castellanos the backing of Boras.

Those contracts are well-known in Detroit: Boras has a long-standing relationship with the Tigers and was extremely close with former team owner Mike Ilitch, selling him on the idea of signing star players to key the team’s mid-2000’s resurgence.

In 2004, Pudge Rodriguez signed for four years and $40 million. The next season, Magglio Ordonez signed for five years and $75 million. In 2012, Prince Fielder signed for nine years and $214 million. All three players were part of Tigers teams that advanced to the World Series, including right-hander Max Scherzer, who looms large as the one that got away: The Tigers have not returned to the postseason since Scherzer signed with the Nationals prior to the 2015 season.

Viewed through a Tigers prism, the decision points to Castellanos departing in free agency this off-season — which has been expected, since the team has yet to open contract extension negotiations — but also begs the question: Does the team know what they have in Castellanos?

“This guy is a star,” Boras said. “What he is doing at this young of an age profiles a player for stardom. His performance identifies him because every player in the group, with the same achievements at his age, has become a Major League star, repetitive All-Star, one of the most sought-after players in the game.”

Tigers right fielder Nicholas Castellanos singles against the Chicago White Sox during the fifth inning on Thursday, April 18, 2019, at Comerica Park.

The offense

In seven seasons, Castellanos is a .274 hitter with a .323 on base percentage and .458 slugging percentage. In recent seasons — including last year’s career year, hitting .298 with an on-base plus slugging percentage of .854 — Castellanos has emerged as a legitimate middle-of-the-order bat.

Consider the company Castellanos keeps while approaching free agency: At 27, he is one of six players with 20 or more home runs in his most recent season; he is one of five with at least an .800 OPS; and he is one of only 11 starting position players this decade to hit free agency at his age or younger.

Castellanos is one of four players with a similar slash line through his age 26 season (.275/.315/.430) to names that were at the top of American League Most Valuable Player balloting last season, in Boston’s Mookie Betts, Houston’s Alex Bregman and Cleveland’s Jose Ramirez.

Right fielder Nicholas Castellanos #9 of the Detroit Tigers catches a fly ball hit by Eloy Jimenez #74 of the Chicago White Sox during the sixth inning at Comerica Park on April 19, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan.

The defense

So, with a homegrown talent playing out what seems like his final season in Detroit, why have the Tigers not made more of an effort to keep him through his prime years, especially when they are hurting for offense and no comparable alternatives available?

When asked in spring training about the status on potential contract extension talks with Castellanos, general manager Al Avila said, “He knows it’s on our mind, as it is on his mind.”

The Tigers have not been bashful about their situation: They are in the second full season of a rebuilding process and remain more interested in paring payroll than adding to it.

Castellanos, while very much an offensive force, received sub-par marks defensively in 2018, his first season in right field, which has certainly impacted his value on the trade market and stands in the way of him receiving a contract like those with comparable offensive ability.

But he has drastically improved in right field, most notably in his comfort and experience, taking better first steps and more efficient routes to fly balls.

This season, he is tied for fourth among right fielders in defensive runs saved and ranks third in outs above average, to pair with 27.9 feet per second sprint speed, which is better than half of starting outfielders.

Castellanos’ outfield play has been used against him in evaluating his overall ability, but perhaps attention should be paid to the challenges he has faced throughout his career, with the Tigers moving him from position-to-position — something none of the other comparable players dealt with.

Originally a shortstop, Castellanos moved to third base, then left field when the Tigers signed Fielder in 2012, back to third base and then, left field. Though there are no expectations of him playing first base this season — the Tigers tried to get him behind the idea late last season — his experience at multiple positions makes him a rare commodity, as a young impact hitter with versatility. He is the only player to play more than 150 games at third base and in the outfield since 2016.

Perhaps if the Tigers were serious about Castellanos being part of the team’s future — it is not hard to see him serving as a middle-of-the-order bat to build around — then he would be open to utilizing that versatility in the future, maybe even serving as Miguel Cabrera’s heir apparent at first.

Castellanos, of course, has spoken multiple times about his desire to stay in Detroit. And Boras, who played a big role as Ilitch’s conduit in ushering in the most prosperous run in Tigers history, sounds open to seeing Castellanos’ time in town through.

“Always open to listening to anything the Tigers family has to say,” he said.

Detroit Tigers' Nicholas Castellanos safely slides to score on a single by teammate Miguel Cabrera during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Sunday, April 21, 2019, in Detroit.

The decisions

To this point, the Tigers haven’t said much, which shows a willingness to tackle their rebuilding project by operating like the mid-market team they once were, before Rodriguez broke the mold in 2003.

Back then, Boras’ pitch to Ilitch was simple: “If you win, they will come.”

His words were proved true with sell-out crowd after sell-out crowd at Comerica Park during the Tigers’ return to prominence.

Things have changed, certainly — most notably at the top of the organization, where Ilitch was replaced by his son, Tigers president and CEO Christopher, after his Feb. 2017 death— but there are certain truths that ring in recent rebuilding successes.

In order to return to glory, the Tigers must draft well, make good trades and sign stars.

The Cubs did not break their World Series drought by only drafting third baseman Kris Bryant and shortstop Javier Baez. They traded for right-hander Jake Arrieta and signed lefty Jon Lester and right fielder Jason Heyward to free-agent deals.

The Astros built off their 2017 championship by locking up Bregman and former Tiger Justin Verlander, and the Red Sox have made a priority of doing the same, with recent contract extensions to lefty Chris Sale and shortstop Xander Bogaerts.

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Now, the time is approaching for the Tigers to make a tough decision, similar to the one Castellanos made recently in hiring Boras.

It’s a decision the numbers say is right, a decision that teams are required to make in order to secure a player’s best prime years. With many, teams’ first chances to acquire impact players in free agency come in their age 30 seasons or older, past their primes.

But with Castellanos, the Tigers have a chance to make an aggressive move that will pay dividends over his prime and extend past the point when their rebuilding should evolve into contention.

According to the numbers, a new star is ready to enter baseball’s youth constellation — one of just 1 this decade to hit free agency at such a prime age — and time is ticking for the Tigers to keep him part of theirs.

Contact Anthony Fenech at afenech@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @anthonyfenech. Read more on the Detroit Tigers and sign up for our Tigers newsletter.