Nick Castellanos is settling into San Diego with a simple philosophy: see ball, hit ball — and never stop being himself.
The San Diego Padres newcomer hit his first round-tripper of spring training Tuesday, a 2-run blast in the 3rd inning against the Chicago White Sox. The Padres are hoping to see a lot more of that during the regular season after the team finished 29th in baseball in home runs last year.
Castellanos said he keeps his approach at the plate straightforward.
"I'm a kid that believes in himself, who knows he can hit, who remembers to take a deep breath when he steps into the box, and look for the inside part of the baseball," Castellanos said.
ABC 10News Sports Director Ben Higgins sat down with Castellanos on his "Ben and Woods" radio show in Peoria, where he revealed himself as a thoughtful ballplayer who doesn't try to overthink the game.
"The smarter Nick tries to get the worse hitter Nick becomes," Castellanos said on 97.3 The Fan.
Castellanos became available when the Philadelphia Phillies released him following a confrontation with manager Rob Thomson last season. He admits he could have handled the situation in a better way, but also says he needs to be his authentic self.
"When I see something, I need to speak up. I need to, because if I don't, I'll swallow it, and I'll keep swallowing it until the point I can't no more, and sometimes when it bubbles over it comes out quite colorful," Castellanos revealed.
That passion and confidence doesn't mean Castellanos isn't a good teammate, as he's quickly become a favorite among players in the Padres clubhouse.
"I'll do whatever you need. I'll play first, I'll play left. If Tatis needs a blow, I'll play right, I'll DH, whatever," Castellanos said.
And it seems what Castellanos wants most of all is to set a good example for his biggest fan — his son, Liam.
"I don't know if I'm a good dad or a bad dad, but I know that I like when he's next to me so that he can see the behind-the-scenes work it takes to be great," Castellanos said.
The Padres hope Liam has plenty to cheer for in 2026.
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