After graduating from Castro Valley High School in California in 2005, was selected by Boston in the 43rd round of the 2005 draft...did not sign and opted to attend Stanford...In 2008, his junior year at Stanford, hit a team-leading .376 with 14 home runs and 73 RBI en route to being named to the All Pac-10 team...helped Stanford to the College World Series in 2008 and was named his team’s MVP...Was selected by Houston with the 10th overall pick in the first round of the 2008 MLB draft...signed by Astros scout Joe Graham...Received the Astros 2012 Darryl Kile “Good Guy” Award as voted on by the Houston Chapter of the BBWAA...Graduated from Stanford in the fall of 2013, after taking classes in consecutive offseasons...received a degree in sociology with a concentration in business organizations...Was named the Astros nominee for the 2014 Roberto Clemente Award, which recognizes a Major League player who best represents the game of baseball through positive contributions on and off the field, including sportsmanship and community involvement...Was the Astros player rep for the MLB Players Association from 2012-16...IN THE COMMUNITY: Jason and his wife Maris began the charity program Castro’s Kids in 2013, which donated more than 60,000 books to the Houston Independent School District (HISD) over a four-year span from 2013-16...Jason and Maris have also been active in supporting Friends for Life, a no-kill animal shelter based in Houston, and the Astros Foundation’s cornerstone programs - the Community Leaders program, the Astros Urban Youth Academy and the Astros RBI program...Signed a two-year contract with Houston as a free agent on Jan. 22, 2021...the deal will keep him in Houston through the 2022 season.
2021
Finished the season batting .235 (35-for-149) with a .799 OPS (.443 SLG/.356 OBP) in 66 games... Made his 10th career OPENING DAY roster, but did not start...snapped a string of nine consecutive Opening Day starts from 2012-20... Reached base safely in 12 of his 23 PAs as a PH (seven hits, five walks)...led all MLB players in average as a PH with a .389 (7-for-18) mark (min. 20 PAs as a PH)... Batted .288 (19-for-66) with an .928 OPS in the 7th inning or later this season...in close and late situations, hit .375 (15-for-40)... In the POSTSEASON, hit .286 (2-for-7) with a home run, two RBI, two walks and a 1.159 OPS (.444 OBP / .714 SLG) in six games (zero starts)...missed Games 4-6 of the World Series due to health & safety protocols.
2020
Began the season with the Angels before getting traded to the Padres prior to the trade deadline...Played in 27 games, batting .188 (15x80) with nine doubles, two homers and nine RBI...Threw out three-of-11 (27.3%) runners attempting to steal in his 27 games...Saw upward trends in a number of his advanced hitting metrics...posted his highest average exit velocity of the Statcast era (since 2015) with a 92.7 mph mark...his hard-hit ball rate (55.3%), launch angle (19.7), and sweet spot rate (42.6%) were all career-best marks (since 2015)...Posted a career-high 13% walk rate, as he drew 12 walks in 92 plate appearances...OPENING DAY: Started on Opening Day (July 24 at OAK) for the ninth-consecutive season...joined Yadier Molina as the only MLB catchers to start on Opening Day in every season from 2012-20...was his ninth appearance on an Opening Day roster...Hit a game-tying ninth-inning homer on Opening Day, becoming the 32nd player in Angels history to homer in his debut with the club...Was traded to the Padres in exchange for RHP Gerardo Reyes prior to the trade deadline on Aug. 31...Started nine games for the Padres, with the club going 7-2 in those contests...POSTSEASON: Started Game 3 of the NLDS vs. LAD.
2019
In third and final season with Minnesota, connected for 13 home runs, the third most of career and most since 2014 (14 HR)...The 13 homers were tied for ninth by an A.L. backstop while his 18.15 AB/ HR ratio ranked sixth (min. 200 AB)...Teammate Mitch Garver led the A.L. in both categories...Registered a .999 fielding percentage...Marked sixth consecutive season committing less than five errors...Also posted a team-leading (min. 200 innings caught) 19.4% caught stealing percentage...Twins Opening Day catcher for second consecutive season...Tallied 600th career hit July 19 vs. Oakland.
2018
Was Twins Opening Day catcher for second consecutive season, the seventh of his career...Played 19 games for the Twins before suffering a right knee meniscus tear, ending his season...Had surgery on right knee May 15 in Vail, Colorado, performed by Dr. Robert LaPrade.
2017
Was Twins Opening Day catcher April 3 vs. Kansas City, batting sixth...was sixth consecutive Opening Day roster, first with the Twins...went 2-for-3 with a walk and two RBI...Walked nine times and drove in seven runs in first eight games as Twin, including his first career four-walk game April 5 vs. Kansas City...Hit safely in season-high 11 straight May 22-June 9...Tied single-game career-highs with four hits and four RBI June 13 vs. Seattle; his fourth hit was the 26th of the game for the Twins, which passed the single-game club record of 25 set in 2002 (Twins finished with 28 hits)...Recorded fourth career multi-homer game September 12, 2017 vs. San Diego; tied career high with four RBI...Hit 10th home run on final day of season October 1, reaching double digits in homers for the fifth consecutive season...Hit .263 against left-handed pitching and .234 against right-handers...Finished with a .242 batting average and .333 on-base percentage, both highs since 2013...Caught 108 games (104 starts), most on the team and fourth-most in the AL; also ranked fourth in innings caught (908.1).
2016
Played fifth season with Houston, spending entire season with Astros for third straight year...made fifth consecutive Opening Day roster; made fifth consecutive Opening Day start April 5 at New York-AL...Missed three games while on the Paternity List May 10-12...Recorded two triples April 11 and April 13, both against Kansas City...became second catcher since 2000 to record two triples within his club's first nine games of a season (J.P. Arencibia in 2011 with Toronto)...Made first career appearance at first base July 26 vs. New York-AL; his first career appearance at any position other than catcher...also played first base on July 29 and July 30, both at Detroit...Finished the season first among AL catchers in triples (3), second in walks (43), fifth in on-base percentage (.309) and tied for fifth in doubles (16)...Reached 100 catcher caught stealings in his career in final game September 30 at Los Angeles-AL...became one of just four catchers in Astros franchise history to reach the mark, joining Alan Ashby (251), Brad Ausmus (209) and Craig Biggio (104)...Started 102 games at catcher, the fifth most in the AL...caught 22.4 percent of attempting base stealers (13-of-58)...Stole two bases, tying a career-high, previously accomplished in 2013.
2015
Served as Houston's primary catcher in what was his fifth Major League season...named one of three finalists for the 2015 AL Gold Glove Award...made 102 starts behind the dish with Houston going 60-42 (.588) in his starts...threw out 24-of-66 runners attempting to steal (32.3%)...marked the best caught stealing percentage by a Houston catcher since Brad Ausmus threw out 40% of runners attempting to steal (30-for-75) in 2001...Castro ranked fifth among AL catchers in caught stealing percentage, and second in fielding percentage (.999, 1E/840TC)...per Baseball Prospectus, was the AL's second-best pitch framer,behind only Tyler Flowers of the White Sox...added 12.6 runs with his framing, behind Flowers' mark of 17.5...became the first catcher in club history to post three career double-digit home run seasons...is one of three AL catchers to post double-digit homers in each of the last three seasons (also, Salvador Perez and Yan Gomes)...moved into second place on Houston's all-time home runs list by a catcher with 48,trailing only Alan Ashby (69)...also moved into sixth place in club history for most starts by a catcher (438), surpassing Craig Biggio (403)...hit two dramatic, walk-off homers (Aug. 23 vs. LAD; July 30 vs. LAA), giving him three for his career...his three career walk-off homers are the most in club history by a catcher, and rank tied for third among all Astros players all-time...his three walk-off homers over the last two seasons are tied for the second-most in baseball with Mike Trout, Chris Davis and Starling Marte behind only Josh Donaldson (6)...made his fourth consecutive Opening Day start for Houston...was placed on the 15-day Disabled List with a strained right quad on Aug. 29, before returning on Sept. 17...caught a career-high three runners attempting to steal on June 10 at CWS (J.B. Shuck, Avisail Garcia twice)...this tied a franchise record, last achieved by Brad Ausmus on April 19, 2003 at MIL...hit his second career walk-off homer on July30 vs. LAA, a three-run shot off RHP Fernando Salas...per Elias, became the fourth player in club history to hit a walk-off homer with the score tied at 0-0, joining Glenn Davis (July 22, 1986), Jimmy Wynn (June16, 1972) and Denis Menke (Sept. 5, 1969)...hit a grand slam on Aug. 3 at TEX...was his 50th career home run, and the third grand slam of his career...per Elias, it marked the first time since 1985 that two Houston catchers hit grand slams in the same season, as Hank Conger turned the trick two games prior...Mark Baileyand Alan Ashby did so in 1985...joined Brad Ausmus as the only catchers in club history with three career grand slams...caught the first no-hitter of his career on Aug. 21 vs. LAD (Fiers)...became the ninth catcher in club history to catch a no-hitter, joining Brad Ausmus (2003), Scott Servais (1993), Alan Ashby (1986, 1981,1979), Ed Herrmann (1976), Don Bryant (1969), Dave Adlesh (1967), Jerry Grote (1964) and John Bateman (1963)...hit his second walk-off homer of the season on Aug. 23 vs. LAD...was a 10th inning solo-shot off RHP Chris Hatcher that gave Houston a 3-2 win and a series sweep over the Dodgers...started at catcher in all six of Houston's postseason games (1x16, .063)...was his first career trip to the postseason...in the Wild Card Game at NYY, became the first Houston backstop to catch a shutout in the postseason since Brad Ausmus in Game 5 of the 2004 NLCS vs. STL...recorded his first career postseason hit and RBI in Game 3 of the ALDS, giving Houston the lead with a two-run single in the 5th inning.
2014
Played in a career-high 126 games, making a career-high 121 starts (110 at catcher, 11 at DH)...among AL catchers, ranked tied for sixth in homers (14) and tied for fifth in doubles (21)...became the third catcher in Astros history to post two seasons with double digit homers, also C Alan Ashby (1982, 1987) and C John Bateman (1963, 1966)...also became the first catcher in club history with double-digit homers in back-toback seasons...threw out a career-high 21 runners attempting to steal (21-of-102, 20.6%)...hit well out of the No. 2 spot in the order, batting .320 (16x50) with four extra-base hits and four RBI...per StatCorner.com, saved nine runs above an average MLB catcher with his pitch framing...was a 12.9-run improvement from 2013...ranked 11th among all MLB catchers in Baseball Prospectus' pitch framing metric...made his third consecutive Opening Day roster and remained with the Astros for the entirety of the season...hit his first career walk-off homer on June 27 vs. DET...hit a solo shot off LHP Blaine Hardy with the score tied at 3-3 in the bottom of the 11th inning...hit the only grand slam by an Astro at Minute Maid Park with his homer on Aug. 28 vs. TEX...was the second grand slam of his career...named the Astros nominee for the 2014 Roberto Clemente Award.
2013
Was an American League All-Star, a two-time AL Player of the Week and was named the Astros Team MVP by the Houston Chapter of the BBWAA ... had one of the greatest offensive seasons by a catcher in Astros history, setting single-season club records by a catcher in doubles (35), homers (18), runs scored (63), extra-base hits (54), SLG (.485), multi-hit games (33) and OPS (.835)...the previous doubles record was held by Brad Ausmus (25 in 1997) and the HR record was held by John Bateman (18 in 1966) ... received his first All-Star nod this season, becoming the second catcher in club history to be named an All-Star (also Biggio in 1990)...became the first Astro since Lance Berkman in 2008 to win two Player of the Week awards in the same season...Bagwell is the only other Astros player to do so (three POW awards in 1994)...ranked tied for seventh in the AL in doubles thru Sept. 7 before missing the rest of the season with a right knee injury...hit the most doubles by an Astro since Carlos Lee in 2011 (28)...finished tied for first in the AL with seven multi-double games ... prior to 2013, the last AL player with seven multi-double games was Robinson Cano in 2011...led AL catchers in slugging (min. 450 PAs) and finished second in OPS, third in runs and OBP, tied for third in doubles, fourth in homers and tied for sixth in hits...according to Baseball Reference, finished second among AL catchers in WAR (4.5) behind Joe Mauer (5.4)...set career highs in almost every offensive category after playing in a career-high 120 games...was placed on the 15-day DL on Sept. 17 due to right knee discomfort...had a cyst on his right knee drained on Sept. 3 and had a minor arthroscopic procedure done on Sept. 19 ... played his last game of the year on Sept. 7 and missed the final 20 games of the season...became the first Astro to receive AL Player of the Week honors when he hit .579 with three HR, five RBI and a .636 OBP for the week of May 20-26...the last Astros player to receive a weekly award was Hunter Pence, who won the NL Player of the Week award in 2010...the last Astros catcher to win a weekly award was Biggio in 1990 ... had a career-long, 12-game hitting streak from July 31-Aug. 14...marked the longest hitting streak by an Astros catcher since Tony Eusebio hit in 24 straight games from July 9-Aug. 28, 2000 ... his 445-ft. HR on Aug. 9 vs. TEX was the longest HR hit at MMP in 2013...received his second AL Player of the Week award on Aug. 26 after hitting .529 (9x17) with six extra-base hits (two doubles, one triple, three homers), five RBI and a 1.913 OPS (.619 OBP/1.294 SLG) for the week of Aug. 19-25...ranked third among AL players with a 1.067 OPS in August, trailing Miguel Cabrera (1.162) and Mike Trout (1.090)... from July 31 through the end of the season, hit .333 with eight doubles, six HR and 21 RBI in 29g...led the Majors with a 1.053 OPS over that span (min. 100 PA).
2012
After beginning the season with a .209 (18x86) average thru his first 26 games, rebounded to post
a .281 (48x171) batting average with a .362 on-base percentage, six home runs and 21 RBI in his last 61
games (since May 21)...given the Astros' 2012 Darryl Kile "Good Guy" Award by the Houston Chapter of
the BBWAA...collected four of his six homers in his last seven games of the season...led the club's catching
corps with a 4.34 catcher's ERA (312ER/646.2IP) in his 79 games (73 starts) behind the dish...caught 12 of 69
attempting base stealers on the season...against right-handed pitching, hit .286 (58x203) with 13 doubles,
six homers and an .831 OPS (.373 OBP/.458 SLG)...after sitting out the entire 2011 season with a right knee
injury, spent five of the season's six months on the active roster...was on the DL from July 15-Aug. 13 with
a right knee effusion...returned to game action in Spring Training and led the club in hitting during the Spring with a .364 mark...made his first career Opening Day start on April 6 vs. COL, going 0x2 with two
walks...hit over .300 in both June (.302, .367 OBP) and August (.306, .359 OBP)...had his first multi-homer
game on Sept. 28 at MIL, the first multi-homer game by an Astros catcher since J.R. Towles hit two on Sept.
29, 2009, at PHI... combined to hit .556 (10x18) with three doubles, one home run and two RBI in his seven
injury rehab games with Triple A OKC (4g) and Double A CC (3g).
2011
Missed the entire 2011 regular season while recovering from a right knee injury...sustained the injury while trying
to avoid a tag at first base on March 2 at DET (Lakeland), in the club's third game of Spring Training...underwent surgery on
March 4 at The Methodist Hospital in Houston, which repaired a large tear of the medial meniscus and reconstructed his
anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)...spent his season rehabbing before returning to baseball activities in Sept...participated in
the Astros Instructional League in Oct. before joining the Arizona Fall League...played in 12 games for the league-champion
Salt River Rafters, hitting .289 (11x38) with one double, four RBI and a .404 on-base percentage...caught 2-3 times a week in
the AFL...finished his year hitting safely in five of his last six games (.400, 8x20).
2010
In his first big league season and second full professional season, hit .205 (40x195) with eight doubles, one triple, two
homers and eight RBI... started 57 games at catcher for Houston and committed only two errors in his 67 overall games at the
position... threw out 17 of 48 attempted base stealers (35.4%)... his 67 games at catcher are the most by an Astros rookie since
Mitch Meluskey caught 103 in 2000... hit .242 (16x66) in his final 23 games of the season after Aug. 26... posted a career-long,
five-game hitting streak from July 28-Aug. 6, during which he hit .350 (7x20) with a triple, RBI and three walks... collected
his first Major League hit in his first ML plate appearance on June 22 with his third-inning single of Tim Lincecum... became
the first Astro to record his first MLB hit in his first MLB plate appearance since Tommy Manzella did so on Sept. 11, 2009 vs.
PIT as a pinch-hitter... also threw out two base stealers in his MLB debut... had his contract purchased from Triple A on June
22... hit .265 (36x211) with four homers, 26 RBI and a .365 OBP in 57 games at Triple A... after a .226 average with no homers
in April at Triple A, posted a .278 average (44x158) with four homers and 20 RBI in 41 games from May 1-June 19... reached
base safely via hit or walk in 32 consecutive games from May 6-June 13... spent most of Spring Training with the Astros as a
non-roster invitee... hit .313 (10x32) with two RBI and a .378 OBP in 16 games in the Spring... was the youngest player invited to
Major League Spring Training in both 2009 and 2010... at 22-years-old entering 2010 Spring Training, he was one month younger
than the second-youngest player, RHP Henry Villar (born May 24, 1987).
2009
Combined to hit .300 (134x446) with 10 home runs and 73 RBI in 109 games between Class A Lancaster and Double
A Corpus Christi...played 101 games behind the plate, posting a .977 fielding percentage (14E/677TC)...caught 49 of 109
attempting base-stealers (45%)...began the season as a non-roster invite to Astros Spring Training and appeared in five
games, recording two hits in eight at-bats (.250)...was re-assigned to minor league camp on March 10...began his regular
season at Lancaster, where he hit .309 (64x207) with seven homers and 44 RBI...earned the JetHawks Defensive Player of the
Month honors for April and May...earned a promotion to Corpus Christi in early June and made his debut with the Hooks on
June 10...invited to play in the All-Star Futures Game held in St. Louis on July 12...hit a three-run home run in the fifth inning
for the U.S. Futures off of Blue Jays left-handed pitching prospect Luis Perez...also threw out a runner attempting to steal
in the top half of that inning...returned to the Hooks and finished the season hitting .293 (70x239) with three homers and
29 RBI...folllowing the season, was one of two catchers selected to represent the United States in the 2009 IBAF World Cup,
where the US captured the Gold Medal after going 14-1 in pool play...after the international tournament, Castro returned to
the states and was assigned to the Peoria Saguaros of the Arizona Fall League...played his final game of the season on Nov.
5, as the starting catcher of the West squad in the Rising Stars Game of the AFL.
2008
In his first professional season with
Single A Tri-City, hit .275 (38x138) with two home runs and 12 RBI in 39 games...made his professional debut on July 14...the
following month, his first full month as a professional, Castro earned Tri-City's Defensive Player of the Month for August...
caught a total of 27 games and was a DH for his 12 other appearances on the season...played in the Hawaiian Winter League
following the season, and earned Postseason All-Star honors after hitting .333 (36x78) with two home runs and 13 RBI in 23
games for the North Shore Honu.
