D-backs' Young Catcher was a Clutch Hitter in 2025

How the Arizona Diamondbacks' young catcher became a regular contributor.

Sep 23, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Adrian Del Castillo rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Arizona Diamondbacks' brutal stretch of injuries and underperformances in the 2025 season led to a disappointing eventual outcome — an 80-82 record and the lack of a playoff berth, despite high expecations heading into the season.

As negative as it was to see all of the injuries occur, and as frustrating as it might have been to watch the D-backs fail to play up to their potential, there was one bright side to the way 2025 progressed. Young players were given opportunities to earn roles.

One such young hitter who came up out of necessity was young catcher Adrian Del Castillo, who mostly served as a left-handed DH in 2025. His numbers weren't necessarily excellent, but he did come through in some clutch moments, and could be a future option in a platoon role.

As Arizona Diamondbacks On SI breaks down each individual season from the entirety of the 2025 roster, the below article will be updated with the proper links as the season reviews are published:

Related Content: Breaking Down Every Diamondbacks Player's 2025 Season

Arizona Diamondbacks 2025 Player Review: Adrian Del Castillo

Adrian Del Castillo 2025 and career statistics. | Alex D'Agostino

Del Castillo struggled to get on the field in 2025. He spent two separate stints on the minor league IL after a successful debut season in 2024.

After a relatively lengthy rehab process, Del Castillo made an impact in his return to Triple-A Reno, hitting .288/.386/.559 with four homers over just 14 games.

But on July 18, Del Castillo was recalled to the major leagues, getting another shot at big-league playing time. It wasn't quite as successful a campaign as his debut season, but he still managed to make a bit of an impact.

On August 10, he fell a triple shy of the cycle with three RBI against the Rockies. He recorded a walk-off RBI single in extra innings against the Guardians on August 20.

He even delivered a crucial pinch-hit two-run homer against the Dodgers on September 23, and a clutch pinch-hit sacrifice fly the next game against the very same LA club.

He didn't finish with the most impressive numbers, but seemed to have a knack for delivering in crucial moments.

Adrian Del Castillo: 2026 Outlook

Del Castillo played a solid role for the D-backs, and was exceptional in clutch moments. With runners in scoring position, he hit .281 with a 142 wRC+ (41% above league average).

But despite his status as a catcher, he only made five appearances behind home plate. His defense is still lacking, and he continued to display a bit of a swing-and-miss issue, striking out 35.9% of the time while walking just north of 6%.

He was mostly protected against left-hand pitching, but did not record a base hit against a southpaw on the season. He hit .257 against righties and slugged them to a .416 clip.

Del Castillo has some things to improve upon. But he is just 26 years old, still. There's plenty of pop in the bat, and a clutchness that the D-backs were able to count on. He'll likely have some kind of role in 2026 — likely as a heavily-platooned DH — but it also wouldn't be a shock to see him start in Triple-A.