How acquired: Signed as a free agent in February 2026
Contract status: Will make $20 million in the final year of a contract signed with the Phillies; the Padres are only on the hook for the league minimum ($780,000)
39 — Castellanos’ launch-angle sweet spot percentage in 2025, which ranked in the 88th percentile according to Statcast. This metric measures how often a hitter makes contact at the optimal launch angle and Castellanos was better in 2025 than he’d been since 2021 (44.0%), when he was the best in the majors. The problem is his average exit velocity (87.8 mph) ranked in the 18th percentile, his hard-hit rate (34.5%) ranked in the 16th percentile and his barrel rate (7.6%) declined a third straight year, as did his bat speed (70.5 mph).
TRENDING
Down — A former Team USA teammate of Manny Machado’s as a teenager and a first-round pick in 2010 out of the greater Miami area, Castellanos finished eighth in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2014 (.700 OPS) and had a .783 OPS in seven years in Detroit when he was traded to the Cubs in 2019. Castellanos went on to hit .321/.356/.646 after the trade to Chicago to earn a four-year, $64 million deal with the Reds. There, he was an All-Star for the first time and hit .284/.343/.550 over two years, leading him to opt out of the final two years. He subsequently signed a five-year, $100 million deal with the Phillies, struggled in his first year (.694 OPS) and then was an All-Star in 2023 (.788 OPS) while driving in a career-high 106 runs. But Castellanos took a step back in 2024 (.742 OPS) and in 2025 saw playing time pulled away as he was worth minus-12 outs above average in right field and saw his power numbers continue to dip. The change in role led to frustration and friction with Phillies manager Rob Thomson (drinking a beer in the dugout after a benching was seen as disrespectful). The Phillies shopped Castellanos after the season and with no takers, released him in February, clearing the way for the Padres to sign him for the league minimum.
PeoriPeoria, AZ – February 20: Nick Castellanos #21 of the San Diego Padres plays first base against the Seattle Mariners during a spring training game on February 20, 2026 in Peoria, AZ. (K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
2026 OUTLOOK
With the Padres set as far as starters are concerned in the outfield, Castellanos is seeing his first action at first base this spring to see if he can find a role as a power bat that can rotate between first, DH and occasional starts in the outfield. Castellanos hasn’t played the infield (third base) since 2017, so it will be a work in progress that they can stomach so long as he produces as a low-risk flier.
