Former ValleyCat Jason Castro Steals Show at Future's Game

TROY, N.Y. - Jason Castro was the Astros' first round selection in the 2008 MLB Draft. Castro ended up playing for the ValleyCats his first year of professional baseball, and is working his way up through the Astros' minor league system. In 2008, he signed the second largest club bonus in Astros' history for $2.07 million.

Castro's first breakout season came in the summer of 2007 in the Cape Cod League. He hit .341 during the season, the second best average in the entire league. He would have seen more playing time behind the plate, but Buster Posey, the Florida State All-American, was the starting catcher on the depth chart. Posey was drafted in the first round by the San Francisco Giants in 2008.

Castro was a monster at the dish for the Cardinal in 2008, hitting .378 with 14 home runs and 73 RBI's. His efforts helped lead Stanford to a birth in the College World Series. Castro also led the team with 171 total bases.

The Astros sent him to Troy in the summer of 2008. Castro was a steady player, batting .275 in 38 games, but only committed four errors behind the plate.

This season, Castro has spent time with the Lancaster JetHawks and the Corpus Christi Hooks. Castro joined ValleyCat teammate J.B. Shuck on the JetHawks, and both batted above .300. Later on in the season, Jason joined former ValleyCat and fellow top prospect Collin DeLome on Corpus Christi. So far, Castro is batting .284 with two home runs in 20 games.

Castro had the privilege to start behind the plate in the 2009 Future's Game. He showed America why he is such a coveted prospect in the Astros' system in the third inning when he blasted an 0-1 offering from Blue Jays prospect Luis Perez over the right field wall to give the USA team a 5-3 lead. Castro joined fellow Corpus Christi teammate Chia-Jen Lo. Lo ended up getting the win for the World team thanks to a scoreless inning of work in the sixth inning.

Jason started off the 53rd highest ranked prospect according to Baseball America in the beginning of the season. However, his stats with the JetHawks and the Hooks have moved him up to the 19th best prospect in the minor leagues.