LAKELAND, FLA. – For all the time Willi Castro, a son of a baseball coach, has spent on a baseball field, it’s rare someone finds a new way to hit ground balls to him with a fungo bat.
Twins’ Willi Castro happily learns to play first base, even if team has no plan for him there
First is one of only two positions Castro hasn’t played in the past two seasons, but he’ll be ready if needed.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
February 27, 2025 at 12:00PM
Monday presented Castro with a couple of new twists.
Castro stood at first base, a new position for him. Twins minor league field coordinator Kevin Morgan stood at shortstop with a fungo bat, and he hit one-hop balls to Castro to simulate scooping balls in the dirt.
It’s unlikely Castro will spend time at first base during the season after the Twins signed Ty France, manager Rocco Baldelli said Wednesday, but he could be an emergency option. First base and catcher are the only two positions Castro hasn’t played over the past two seasons.
“There are always going to be times where they’re going to need me at a different position, a new position,” said Castro, who bought his own first baseman’s mitt. “I’m going to be prepared and stretch my abilities.”
The practice reps at first base have been better than anticipated, Castro said. It’s a different angle for fielding ground balls, and he’s learning the footwork to receiving throws, but he thinks he could play the position if the Twins ever needed him there.
“I thought it was going to be a little harder,” Castro said. “Probably knowing where the base is, getting there and setting your feet up. That’s a little challenging. I feel really good. These last two days, I’ve been doing some work there and I feel good.”
The Twins, however, don’t plan on asking Castro to play any first base during the regular season.
“It’s not a bad thing that he’s taking a few balls over there, breaking in a glove over there and gaining a little comfort depending on what happens,” Baldelli said. “If you look up and you have a couple of injuries, he might be a guy that you turn to at some point, but he’s probably going to find himself a bunch of second, a bunch of third and a bunch of left field. Maybe also some short and center.
“He’s going to move around in his more traditional spots because I think the signing of Ty France gives us more depth and options in that spot.”
After a sophomore slump for the Twins, Edouard Julien is eager to turn the page. “I’m here and I’m hungry,” he said.
