Portland’s Pedro Castellanos celebrates with Izzy Wilson after hitting a home run against the Harrisburg Senators at Hadlock Field on May 20. Castellanos leads the Sea Dogs with seven homers and 37 RBI. Brianna Soukup/Staff Photographer
Before a game last week against the Hartford Yard Goats, Portland Sea Dogs slugger Pedro Castellanos was finishing up an interview when Yard Goats infielder Aaron Schunk walked by. Schunk patted Castellanos on the back.
“Tell him to stop hitting the ball so hard,” Schunk said, pointing at Castellanos.
Fat chance of that happening. After a slow start, the 24-year-old first baseman/outfielder has become the hottest hitter in the Sea Dogs’ lineup. Heading into this week’s series at Reading, Pennsylvania, Castellanos leads Portland in doubles (14), home runs (seven) and RBI (37). His 53 hits are one behind Christian Koss for the team lead.
“He can flat out hit. He uses all fields. As an ex-catcher, I’ve seen how they try to attack him. He just doesn’t show his hand,” Portland Manager Chad Epperson said of Castellanos, who signed with the Boston Red Sox as a teenager out of Venezuela.
“Against (Hartford) the first couple of nights, they were throwing sliders. Obviously you can’t stick with that game plan when he’s hitting double after double. So they start trying to come in (inside), which is a great call, but he’s able to react.”
Castellanos is riding a 10-game hitting streak after having a 13-game hit streak in May. But he struggled throughout April, hitting .116 in the month, with one home run and eight RBI. Since then, he’s settled into the three hole in Portland’s lineup, hitting .338, with six home runs and 29 RBI to raise his season batting average to .262.
Ending the slump wasn’t about fixing anything, Castellanos said. It was about sticking with his routine and maintaining confidence at the plate.
“The process you have to do every single day when you play, you make adjustments in the cage. I don’t really do video. I’m more simple. I like having a routine in the cage,” Castellanos said. “I go to plate, I’m thinking, OK, I need to bring this guy home from second base. Help the team. If a pitcher is really nasty, it’s like, no matter what he throws, I have to bring this guy to home plate.
“It’s focus. I have like seven years playing (pro ball). I know I can hit. I know I can do everything.”
Pedro Castellanos has played first base and corner outfield positions for the Sea Dogs this season. Brianna Soukup/Staff Photographer
Epperson said Castellanos’ slow start was likely a product of arriving late to spring training while working out visa issues. The 6-foot-3, 244-pound Castellanos has hit at every level of the minor leagues, including .289 with 13 home runs and 44 RBI in 87 games with the Sea Dogs last season. Epperson said the best thing he could do was to stay out of the way and let Castellanos work out of his slump.
“He really didn’t have his true spring training … but he’s a pro at what he does. He doesn’t panic,” Epperson said. “He knows his swing better than anybody. Better than any coach. It’s just trusting the process. Trusting his routine is going to be just fine and allow him to come out and perform. You just worry more he’s going to stick with that approach and not panic.”
In the offseason, Castellanos played winter ball back home in Venezuela, where he played alongside teammates with major league experience. He cited Ali Sanchez, a catcher/outfielder in the St. Louis organization, and William Contreras, a catcher/outfielder with Atlanta, as players who helped him develop his game while playing for Cardenales de Lara over the winter. Castellanos hit .313 for the team, with eight home runs and 20 RBI in 38 games.
“Seeing guys that played in the big leagues helped. For me, I was around a lot of big league guys, and they helped me a lot,” Castellanos said.
For the Sea Dogs this season, Castellanos has seen time at first base and the corner outfield positions. In last week’s six-game homestand against Hartford, Castellanos started three games at first base and three in right field.
“I didn’t realize he’s as good an outfielder as he is. He made a throw the other night in Manchester, I was blown away. It was a line drive, right to the second baseman to throw out a guy trying to stretch a single into a double. I’m very comfortable with him in right field,” Epperson said.
Castellanos said he doesn’t have a preference as to where he plays. He just wants to come to the ballpark every day and see his name in the starting lineup.
“No matter where I play, it’s like, I belong here,” Castellanos said.
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