Adrian Del Castillo getting to know D-backs amid hot streak to start MLB career

Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Adrian Del Castillo would be excused if he had taken some time to find footing in the majors.

The 24-year-old received a callup last week following an injury to starting catcher Gabriel Moreno. Despite a .319/.403/.608 slash line with Triple-A Reno this year, Castillo’s incoming MLB debut was the subplot with starting pitchers Eduardo Rodriguez and Merrill Kelly lining up their own season debuts this week.

As well as Rodriguez and Kelly debuted, Del Castillo has forced himself to become the main storyline for the time being.

He’s got five RBIs, two doubles and a walk-off home run in his three games played so far. Not to mention he was on the receiving end of each of the starting pitchers’ debuts.

At this point, he’s still just trying to get to know his teammates.

“I am making it look easy but it is hard,” Del Castillo told Arizona Sports’ Wolf & Luke on Monday. “There’s a lot of work I’ve been doing before the game. Catching and hitting, too. I’ve been talking with our pitchers a lot, I’ve been talking with hitters, too, about pitchers they’ve seen before. I’ve been taking all their information in and just coming up with a plan before the game. They’ve been helping a lot.

“I just need to know (our pitchers’) strikeout pitches, what makes them feel comfortable, where do I set up for certain pitches, what pitches they go to. The strikes in like, 3-1 (counts), when they don’t throw a heater, what do they need to throw? Just hearing it from them so we can be on the same page out there is super important.”

Rodriguez went 5.2 innings with three earned runs and four hits allowed in a win against Cleveland last Wednesday.

Two days later, Del Castillo then caught starter Ryne Nelson in one of the pitcher’s best outings of the year. Nelson closed with nine strikeouts and two earned runs allowed in 7.1 innings.

The game was tied at 2-2 in the ninth when Del Castillo ripped the walk-off home run off Philadelphia reliever Jeff Hoffman.

A day later, Kelly made his season debut with 5.0 innings and two earned runs allowed in a 12-5 win on Sunday.

“They have their own plan up there,” Del Castillo said of working with the starters. “I’m just very kind of guiding them and helping them if they ever need anything. Majority of the time, they’re calling their own game and telling me where to position, all that stuff.”

Castillo posted his second three-hit game in a row while Kelly was rolling.

The catcher is now 7-for-12 with five strikeouts over his first three MLB appearances. He understands the .583 average might not hold and already is looking at what he can improve.

“Short-term, I got to put the ball in play,” Del Castillo said. “Every out I’ve been getting out has been a strikeout … just that and also getting to know these guys, especially in the bullpen, having conversations with them. It’s more off the field, too. I want to get to know them personally.”

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