Detroit Tigers: Week 10 Heroes and Zeroes (VIDEOS)

Jun 2, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers third baseman Nick Castellanos (9) hits a two RBI single in the fourth inning against the Oakland Athletics at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

#4 Zero: Nick Castellanos

Man, Nick Castellanos is having a very rough stretch. Hopes of “taking the next step” that so many of us had for him in his sophomore season have yet to materialize.

Casty has actually brought up his game defensively at third base. His .978 fielding percentage is better than it was last year (.950) and has just three errors this year closing in on the halfway point (15 all of last year). He actually boasts a better fielding percentage than his usual late innings defensive replacement, Andrew Romine (.941).

Despite this improvement, he has regressed at the plate, swinging through too many pitches, striking out a ton, not walking and not hitting. His woeful slash line thus far is .223/.272./.336. For someone who supposedly carries a power bat, that slugging percentage is abysmal.

Last week saw Castellanos notch just two hits in 15 at-bats and he struck out six times, averaging more than one K per game.

The Detroit Tigers showed that they will not back down from sending a more established guy to Toledo for fine-tuning as they did with Shane Greene, so perhaps the team should follow a similar course with Castellanos.

One of the few “can’t miss” prospects to come out of the Tigers’ farm system in recent years, the team has to do what they can to get this guy right and productive.

Next: J.D. Heart