Sports Pro File: Chicago Cubs Shortstop Starlin Castro

Take one look at the National League Central standings on May 6, 2010 and you would see that the Chicago Cubs needed to start winning soon. The Cubs were already five games behind the defending division champions, the St. Louis Cardinals, and the Cubs were three games below .500. Changes needed to be made and so the Cubs management decided it was time to call up highly touted shortstop Starlin Castro.

Castro made his debut on Friday, May 7 in Cincinnati against the Reds. He stepped up to the plate for the first time in the second inning with two men on base. He promptly deposited a Homer Bailey pitch into right field seats for a three run home run. That would be a nice debut by itself, but Castro wasn't done yet. He came to the plate for the third time in the fifth inning, this time with the bases loaded. Castro would line a triple to left center off of Micah Owings. That made six RBI in all and a Major League record for most RBI in a debut.

Starlin Castro was born March 24, 1990 in Monte Cristy, Dominican Republic. The Cubs signed Castro in 2007 as a free agent for $60,000, a small amount compared to what top flight prospects get. Castro soon proved he was worth the investment and more. In 2008 in rookie ball he hit for a .311 batting average. In 2009, split between A and AA in the minor, he hit .299 and showed off some of his speed by stealing 28 bases.

In 2010 Castro was invited to spring training and he continued his hot hitting with a .429 average that tempted the Cubs brass to keep him in the majors. Instead they sent him back to AA Tennessee where he knocked in 20 runs in just 26 games. It was apparent to the Cubs that he was ready for a new challenge.

When Castro made his debut he was the first player to make the majors that was born in the 1990's. Although he made plenty of noise with his bat, Castro is known a very good defender with above average range and a powerful arm. Barring any unforeseen injury problems, Castro should be a fixture at shortstop at Wrigley Field for years to come, and that should make the Bleacher Bums very happy.