Who is Starlin Castro?

Starlin Castro is a Major League Baseball Player who plays the Shortstop position for the Chicago Cubs baseball team. Just 25 years old, he is the first MLB player born in the 1990s.

Castro had his major league debut on May 7, 2010 when he was just barely out of his teens. I was watching the Cubbies on TV the day Starlin came to the plate for the first time in the majors, having been called up from Double-A ball in Tennessee, and became an instant fan. I have been following his career ever since and now would like to share it with you.

Born Starlin DeJesus Castro on March 24, 1990 in Monte Cristy, Dominican Republic, Starlin bats and throws right-handed. Starlin was only 16 years old when he was signed by the Chicago Cubs as a non-drafted free agent in 2006. He played for Cubs' Dominican Summer League team in 2007 and the Rookie-League Mesa in 2008. In 2009, Castro batted a combined .299 with three homers and 49 RBIs in 127 games between Class A Advanced Daytona and Double-A Tennessee and was named to the 2009 All-Star Futures Game for the World Team, plus named the best prospect in Chicago's system by Baseball America heading into the 2010 campaign.

Starlin Castro began 2010 with Double-A Tennessee, but was promoted to the Chicago Cubs on May 7, 2010 and became their everyday shortstop, finishing tied for fifth in N.L. Rookie of the Year voting. What makes this rapid rise so interesting is that most young baseball prospects have to go through A-ball, double-A and Triple-A before even being considered as an occasional fill-in at the major league level. In other words, baseball players 'pay their dues' and have to prove themselves before making it to the Majors. Very rarely do you find a young player being brought up from Double-A level to the Majors in a starting position, particularly at such a young age.

In Starlin Castro's first at bat in his major league debut 5/7/2010 he hit a three-run homer. Castro went 2-for-5 that night in Cincinnati when he added a three-run triple on his way to a six-RBI game, the most RBIs ever recorded by a player in his first major league contest. It was a very exciting game to watch!

Baseball players in general are a superstitious lot. And #13 is usually a number associated with 'bad luck' and mostly avoided if possible. The phenomenal early successes of Starlin Castro, while wearing #13, certainly puts that superstition to rest!

In his short career to date, just beginning his 5th Major League Baseball Season, Castro has already compiled an impressive list of statistics, awards & honors:

• In addition to Castro's debut triple, he had 4 more in 2010 and 9 triples in 2011. He also hit 36 doubles in 2011.
• Named 'Player of the Week' twice in 2011.
• Three-Time All-Star (2011, 2012 & 2014).
• In 2011, Castro had 22 stolen bases and 91 runs batted in.
• Led the National League in hits with 207 last season. Since making his major-league debut on May 7, 2010, Castro has more hits than any player in the NL with 519.
• By September 2012, Castro was batting .284 for the season with 13 homers and 76 RBIs.
• Was second in the National League with triples (12) in 2012.
• Castro finished the 2013 season as 17th in the NL in hits (163) and in 16th place for doubles with 34.

On Tuesday, August 28, 2012, the Chicago Cubs signed Starlin Castro to a Seven-year contract, with a club option for 2020. Castro will be with the Cubs for a long time to come and I'm looking forward to watching him become a Super Star!