For some aspiring prospects, their quest for a potential MLB career feels like a roller coaster ride. That has been exactly the case for former Philadelphia Phillies promising pitching prospect Eiberson Castellano after recently signing a minor-league contract with the Colorado Rockies.
It wasn’t too long ago that Castellano appeared to be the next up-and-coming player in the Phillies system. After all, the young right-hander captured the Paul Owens Award in 2024 for being the Phillies’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year. He compiled a 6-5 record with a tidy 3.99 ERA and 1.14 WHIP, with 136 strikeouts in 103 2/3 innings over 22 appearances (20 starts) that season.
Former Phillies pitching prospect Eiberson Castellano lands in Colorado with Rockies
Somehow, Castellano was surprisingly left exposed by Philadelphia in the Rule 5 Draft that winter, despite those accomplishments, and was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the major league phase of the draft. However, he failed to make the Twins’ Opening Day roster out of training camp and was thus ultimately returned to the Phillies for the 2025 season.
Perhaps the unexpected movement threw off his usual ramp-up routine to start a season as Castellano struggled mightily in 2025. In 21 appearances, which included two starts, he posted a 4-3 record with a less-than-stellar 6.44 ERA and 1.60 WHIP, giving up 26 earned runs with 17 walks and 39 strikeouts in 36 1/3 innings.
To make things worse, Castellano missed over two months of action between May to July due to an undisclosed injury, disrupting any type of rhythm or momentum he would have in turning his game around.
To make up for some lost time, Castellano participated in the Arizona Fall League as a member of the Surprise Saguaros. It was there where he began to resemble more of his prior form witnessed from his breakout 2024 campaign after an initial rough start. In four total games played, Castellano amassed a 2-1 record with a 3.86 ERA and 1.21 WHIP, giving up six earned runs on 10 hits with seven walks and 18 strikeouts over 14 innings of work.
Despite the turnaround, Castellano elected free agency upon conclusion of the 2025 season, ending his tenure with the Phillies organization. That led to his minor-league deal with Colorado. Castellano will hope that with a fresh start with the Rockies organization, he will be able to get his game back on track as he continues his pursuits for the major leagues in the not-so-distant future.