Juan Castro facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Juan Castro
Castro speaking with the media
Acereros de Monclova
Infielder / Manager
Born: (1972-06-20) June 20, 1972 (age 53) Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico
Batted: Right Threw: Right
debut
September 2, 1995, for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Last appearance
June 4, 2011, for the Los Angeles Dodgers
MLB statistics
Batting average	.229
Home runs	36
Runs batted in	234
Teams
As player Los Angeles Dodgers (1995–1999) Cincinnati Reds (2000–2004) Minnesota Twins (2005–2006) Cincinnati Reds (2006–2008) Baltimore Orioles (2008) Los Angeles Dodgers (2009) Philadelphia Phillies (2010) Los Angeles Dodgers (2010–2011) As coach Los Angeles Dodgers (2016–2017) Philadelphia Phillies (2020–2021)
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction	2023

Juan Gabriel Castro (born June 20, 1972) is a Mexican professional baseball coach and former infielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 17 years. His teams included the Los Angeles Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds, Minnesota Twins, Baltimore Orioles, and Philadelphia Phillies. Today, he is the manager for the Acereros de Monclova in the Mexican League.

Castro was known for his amazing defensive skills. He often played as a reserve player, ready to step in when needed. He batted and threw with his right hand. After he stopped playing, Castro became a coach for the Dodgers. He also coached for the Philadelphia Phillies as their infield coach in 2020 and 2021.

Playing Career Highlights

Starting with the Los Angeles Dodgers

Castro was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1991. He started his journey through the minor leagues with the Great Falls Voyagers. He also played for the Bakersfield Dodgers, San Antonio Missions, and Albuquerque Dukes. In 1994, he was chosen for the Texas League All-Star Team.

Juan Castro made his big league debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers on September 2, 1995. This was against the Montreal Expos. He played as a defensive replacement at third base. He got his first hit in his first start on October 1, 1995, against the San Diego Padres.

Playing for the Dodgers was very special for Castro. He looked up to Fernando Valenzuela, another famous Mexican baseball player who pitched for the Dodgers. Castro played for the Dodgers until the 1999 season. He mostly played shortstop, but also helped out at second base and third base.

Time with the Cincinnati Reds

After not playing much in 1999, Castro was traded to the Cincinnati Reds on April 1, 2000. He played with the Reds from 2000 to 2004. He was mainly a utility player, meaning he could play many different positions. In 2003, he hit nine home runs and had 33 runs batted in (RBI). These were his best numbers for a single season.

Playing for the Minnesota Twins

In 2005, Castro joined the Minnesota Twins. He was a backup for their new shortstop, Jason Bartlett. When Bartlett struggled, Castro got to play more often. He had a good batting average of .257 that year.

Second Time with the Cincinnati Reds

On June 15, 2006, Castro was traded back to the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds signed him to a two-year contract extension later that year. He stayed with the Reds until April 2008.

Short Stint with the Baltimore Orioles

In May 2008, Castro became a free agent. He signed with the Colorado Rockies and played for their Triple-A team. Then, on July 19, he was traded to the Baltimore Orioles. He immediately joined their main team. Castro started more games at shortstop than any other player for the Orioles in 2008.

Return to the Los Angeles Dodgers

After the 2008 season, Castro became a free agent again. On January 4, 2009, he signed a contract to return to his first team, the Los Angeles Dodgers. He played as a backup infielder for the season.

Time with the Philadelphia Phillies

Castro signed a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Phillies in November 2009. He filled in at shortstop when Jimmy Rollins was injured. Castro was part of a very special moment on May 29, 2010. He fielded the final ground ball that completed Roy Halladay's perfect game. This is a rare achievement in baseball.

Third Time with the Los Angeles Dodgers

The Phillies released Castro in July 2010. He then returned to the Dodgers on a minor-league contract. He was called up to the Major Leagues in August 2010. He played in one game before being sent down again. He later re-signed with the Dodgers for 2011. On May 13, 2011, he was called up again. After playing in seven games, he was sent down on June 6.

Retirement from Playing

Juan Castro officially retired from playing baseball on July 10, 2011. He played for 17 years in the major leagues.

Coaching Career

After retiring as a player, Juan Castro continued his career in baseball as a coach.

Early Coaching Roles

Castro became a special assistant to the general manager for the Dodgers. He helped with player development and finding new talent. He also coached for the Mexico national baseball team in the 2013 World Baseball Classic. In 2015, Castro was the Dodgers' minor league infield coordinator. In 2016, he joined the Dodgers' major league staff as a quality assurance coach.

Managing and Other Roles

After the 2017 season, he left the Dodgers. He became the director of operations for the Toros de Tijuana in the Mexican League. In 2018, Castro returned to manage the Águilas de Mexicali in the Mexican Pacific League. In 2019, Castro was named manager for Team Mexico for the 2019 WBSC Premier12 tournament.

He joined the Philadelphia Phillies as an infield coach before the 2020 season. Castro left his position with the Phillies on October 3, 2021.

Managing in the Mexican League

In January 2022, Castro became the manager of the Mexican League team Diablos Rojos del México. In his first season, he led the team to a great record of 50 wins and 24 losses. They finished first in their division. However, they lost in the Division Championship. Castro returned in 2023 but was fired on May 7, 2023, after a slow start to the season.

On June 19, 2025, Castro was hired to be the manager for the Acereros de Monclova in the Mexican League. He replaced Homar Rojas in this role.