Former Wahoos Arraez, Castillo Named MLB All-Stars

July 11, 2022 – Southern League (SL) – Pensacola Blue Wahoos News Release

Luis Castillo pitching for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos in 2017
(Pensacola Blue Wahoos)

PENSACOLA, FL – Full 2022 Major League Baseball All-Star teams were announced on Sunday, and two former Blue Wahoos – Luis Arraez and Luis Castillo – were among the stars selected to play in the 92nd Midsummer Classic on Tuesday, July 19 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

Arraez, a member of the 2019 Blue Wahoos squad during Pensacola’s affiliation with the Minnesota Twins, showed off his prodigious hitting ability at Blue Wahoos Stadium. In 38 games with the Blue Wahoos, Arraez hit .343, knocking 50 hits and reaching base at a stellar .415 clip. He was soon called up to Triple-A Rochester, where he remained for just 16 games (hitting .349) before making his Major League debut with the Twins on May 18, 2019. From that day forward, he was in the Major Leagues to stay, hitting .334 in 2019 and .321 in 2020. Now in his fourth season at the MLB level, Arraez has established himself as the league’s best contact hitter, leading all of MLB with a .355 average this season.

Opposing Arraez on the National League roster will be 2017 Blue Wahoo starting pitcher Luis Castillo. Already a top prospect when he arrived in Pensacola, Castillo served as the Blue Wahoos ace in 2017, holding a 2.58 ERA and striking out 81 batters in 14 starts with the Blue Wahoos. Castillo was so dominant with Pensacola that the Reds called him up directly from Double-A in June. Since, Castillo has been one of the National League’s most dependable starters, holding a 3.64 ERA across 135 starts in the Major Leagues. This year, he’s been better than ever, holding a 2.92 ERA with 74 strikeouts across 71.0 innings pitched for the Reds.

Beyond Arraez and Castillo, there are numerous familiar names to Blue Wahoos fans on the 2022 All-Star rosters, as 22 All-Stars played in the Southern League during their Minor League careers. Of those 22, 14 played at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

Played at Blue Wahoos Stadium:

OF Ronald Acuña Jr. (ATL): 2017 Mississippi IF Luis Arraez (MIN): 2019 Pensacola SP Corbin Burns (MIL): 2017 Biloxi SP Luis Castillo (CIN): 2017 Pensacola C William Contreras (ATL): 2019 Mississippi C Wilson Contreras (CHC): 2015 Tennessee RP Edwin Diaz (NYM): 2015-16 Jackson SP Max Fried (ATL): 2017-18 Mississippi RP Josh Hader (MIL): 2015-16 Biloxi OF Ian Happ (CHC): 2016 Tennessee RP Jorge Lopez (BAL): 2015-17 Biloxi OF Joc Pederson…