Detroit Tigers 2016 Season Review: Nick Castellanos

At the start of the 2016 Detroit Tiger season, Nick Castellanos was a must-have addition to any fantasy baseball team.

Unfortunately, the Detroit Tigers third baseman did not end the season on the high note that everyone was hoping he would. A non-displaced fracture in his left fifth metacarpal bone prevented him from playing in over 50 games.

Despite the injury, the young Castellanos still finished the season in a position that has fans looking forward to 2017.

Let’s break down what started out as Nick Castellanos’s break-out season and ended with an unfortunate break.

One of the most surprising aspects of Nick Castellanos’s 2016 was his plate performance in April. In the first month, he had 29 hits with 5 doubles, 3 home runs, and 14 RBIs. In April 2015, his bat was quiet, with 18 hits, 4 doubles, 2 home runs, and 8 RBIs. It was clear from the very start that Castellanos was ready to show the baseball world what he could do.

Impressive Numbers

He finished April with one of the highest batting averages in the MLB. His slash of .363/.376/.563 with an OPS of .939.

To show how strong Castellanos’s numbers in April were, take a look at Miguel Cabrera‘s numbers in the same month. The Triple Crown King had 24 hits, 6 doubles, 4 home runs, and 12 RBIs. He finished April 2016 with a slash of .270/.337/.472 and an OPS of .809.

While Castellanos was predicted to have a breakout year, no one expected his numbers to beat Cabrera’s – especially right out of Spring Training. Before the All-Star Game, Nick Castellanos’s batting average of .302 was in the Top 10 of all third basemen in the MLB. Of all of the third basemen, Casty ranked 10th in home runs at the All-Star Break with 17 long balls. He was clearly on a roll.

Along with Castellanos’s improved performance at the plate, he was also making waves on defense.

On August 6 in a game against the New York Mets, pitcher Logan Verrett hit Nick Castellanos and fractured his fifth metacarpal. From the moment that Castellanos was hit, it was clear that he was in pain. He took his base and ended up scoring after a Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit moved him to second base and an Ian Kinsler single bring him home.

Too Many Men on the DL

That was the last that fans saw of Castellanos on the field until September 27 when he returned to the plate against the Cleveland Indians. Casty hit a double and eventually scored a run when Tyler Collins hit a triple.

The non-displaced fracture put Castellanos on the DL for the first time in his career. When he went on the DL, he was hitting a slash of .286/.331/.500 with an OPS of .831. He finished the season with 18 home runs, 117 hits, and 25 doubles with 58 RBIs.

No injury is good, but this one came at an ironic time. On June 16, Nick’s close friend, J.D. Martinez broke his elbow in a game against the Kansas City Royals. He was on the DL until August 3 when he made his return with the unforgettable pinch-hit home run in the game against the Chris Sale and the Chicago White Sox. Just as the Tigers seemed to get the team back together, three days later, Castellanos made his way to the DL. This meant that the Tigers had two key players on the Disabled List for half of June, all of July, all but three days of August, and all but five days of September.

Next: Prospects to Watch in 2017

With the quality play that Nick Castellanos delivered in 2016, a healthy Castellanos is certain to give even more to the fans in 2017.