By Brian Reed-Baiotto, Sports Editor In each of the past three years, Alvie Castro and Adrian DePascuale have become better and more complete baseball players. Castro has been at PHS all along, and DePasquale had to sit out the first half or so of 2016 after transferring over from St. Francis. Both Castro and DePasquale […]
By Brian Reed-Baiotto, Sports Editor
In each of the past three years, Alvie Castro and Adrian DePascuale have become better and more complete baseball players.
Castro has been at PHS all along, and DePasquale had to sit out the first half or so of 2016 after transferring over from St. Francis.
Both Castro and DePasquale have seen their individual stats increase year by year, which has directly resulted in the PHS program win totals increasing each season since the pair joined the varsity club.
In 2018, these two captains have helped lead PHS (14-7 overall) to more victories than all of last season, when the Bulldogs finished 13-13.
PHS’ 5-3 Pacific League record, which includes five consecutive victories since an 0-3 start, puts the Bulldogs in sole possession of third place.
Burroughs and Burbank are each one game back of PHS with six regular season (Pacific League) games left to be played, and the Bulldogs need just a fourth place finish or better to earn a CIF-SS playoff berth.
Unlike many of the area’s best 1-2 punch’s or combo’s, Castro and DePasquale rely heavily upon one another because their position’s are connected do directly.
Castro is one of the area’s most successful area pitcher’s in 2018 and DePasquale calls as good a game behind home plate as any area catcher.
Castro is the PHS ace and pretty much has been the last three years, and having his buddy behind home plate is comforting for the hard-throwing right hander.
Castro has had unquestionably one of the most complete 2018 season’s as anyone in the area.
On the hill, Castro is 5-1 with a 0.76 ERA, and he’s struck out 40 batters in 37 innings.
He’s second in wins to Maranatha’s Dawson Netz and his ERA is third in the entire area.
At the plate, Castro is hitting .359 with 24 hits, 16 RBIs and he’s scored 18 runs.
Castro’s average is third (among PHS batters with a minimum of 35 at-bats), but he leads or is tied for first in hits (23), RBIs (16), runs (18), doubles (4), triples (4) and home runs (2).
On the mound, he is tops on the Bulldogs in every major category and has won 14 games over the past two-plus seasons, and despite not getting much offensive support before 2018.
His ERA since 2016 and after some 164 innings on the mounds sits at about 1.90 and he’s struck out 157 batters over that stretch.
Castro’s contributions don’t stop there, though, as he’s combined for 66 hits, 37 RBIs and 48 runs, and he now hits from the No. 3 spot in the Bulldogs lineup.
Over the past two seasons alone, PHS as a team has eight home runs and Castro has six, including all four team HR’s in 2017.
“Alvie is a great competitor and a great guy. I know we’re going to get his best every time he’s out there,” DePasquale said. “One thing I really appreciate about him is that he trusts me to call a good game and if he shakes off a pitch I suggested, he’s almost always got a good reason for why he did that. He does so much to help us and is a really good leader.”
DePasquale might catch Castro on the field, but in life, the PHS senior relies heavily and appreciates most his mother, Patty Esparza, someone he said “has always been there from the beginning, in good times and bad and had always gotten on me to get good grades as well as getting me to practice and games. She is the reason I am who I am today,” Castro said.
His father Alvaro Castro isn’t around as much but makes time to call Castro, his sister Ashley Castro and girlfriend Viviana Garcia have both supported him and pushed Castro to be the best version of himself each day.
Castro said one of the main reasons the program has been outstanding in 2018 is because of a much-improved chemistry and he credits maturity and better focus as a reason his individual game has continued to climb each season over the past three years.
DePasquale is a young man that will impress you with his athletic skills as well as his measured approach to baseball, school and life.
His 3.8 grade-point average is just one of the reasons he’s been offered academic aid to some of the area’s best schools.
But the PHS catcher still wants to continue his baseball career at the collegiate level and is weighing his options as the prep season nears an end.
DePasquale takes a cerebral approach to doing his job behind the plate and it’s something his pitchers and coaches know they can rely on.
In the back of his mind, he knows what pitches Castro or Jacob Green or Nik Moran have going well on a particular day, as well as the game situation and what each individual batter has done at the plate and their tendencies before flashing a pitch sign out to the mound.
Aside from being an outstanding catcher, DePasquale is the PHS cleanup batter and he has been at or near the top of every major offensive stat category over the past two years since getting the chance to start on a regular basis.
This season, DePasquale’s .393 average is second to Jacob Green, who we’ll talk about a little later in this story.
His 15 RBI’s and 22 hits are both second to Castro and he’s tied for first with four doubles in 2018.
Last year, DePasquale was second-best with a .358 average (behind David Banuelos) and he led the Bulldogs with 29 hits in 2017.
Despite playing just the second half of the 2016 season after transferring over from St. Francis, Adrian De Pasquale has a very respectable .350 career batting average with 60 hits, 31 RBIs, 24 runs scored and 11 doubles at the varsity level at PHS.
Other than having individual and team success, another fun part of this season has been catching his brother Dominic when the junior pitcher gets his chances on the hill.
DePasquale said his father David is the best coach he’s ever had and has taught him more about the game than anyone, he credits Dominic with making him a better catcher and he thinks he plays better when his girlfriend, Maisie Henderson is at the game.
We’re hoping he earned an extra kiss from Henderson for mentioning her in his story.
His mom, Ana, has been someone that has guided Adrian in good times or challenging moments and she’s always made sure he focused on the important things in life.
Like Castro, Adrian DePasquale also credits the increased team chemistry as one of the vital reasons this team continued to play well after a quick start.
In 2017, PHS won their first seven games and then lost 13 of their final 20 to end the season.
This year, the Bulldogs won seven of their first nine games, but as mentioned, after a three-game slide to begin Pacific League play, PHS has won five consecutive to find itself in postseason contention.
Both Castro and DePasquale wanted to point out that they are far from the only contributors to the PHS success.
As mentioned, their fellow captain Jacob Green has been amazing.
The senior is 3-1 on the mound with 38 strikeouts and a 1.09 ERA, which includes a one-hit shutout this past Friday at Glendale.
Green also leads PHS in average (.418), tied for first in hits with Castro with 23, he’s scored 10 runs and driven in nine.
Robert Olivades (.300 average, 15 hits, 11 runs scored), Aaron Corder (.280, 14 hits, 9 runs), David Banuelos (.302, 16 hits, 9 runs, 9 RBIs) and Christian Zambrano (.385, 10 hits, 11 runs) have all done their part at the plate.
Steve Lopez (2-1, 1.24 ERA), Nik Moran, Dominic DePasquale and JonLuke Goldman have all contributed on the mound this season.
PHS will host Burbank (6-9, 4-4) Tuesday with Castro likely on the mound and then the Bulldogs will head out to Burbank Saturday night at 7 and Jacob Green is scheduled to get the road start.
With three weeks left in the regular season, both Castro and DePasquale will continue to do everything in their power and in as many ways as possible to not only give PHS their best chance to not only qualify but make a run in the CIF-SS playoffs, as well as the ability to show college coaches what they’re capable of and what they can add to any college program both in the field and at the plate.
And it isn’t just their physical abilities or skills that make both PHS seniors attractive prospects, both of these young men are selfless teammates who live and breathe the game of baseball.
Perhaps their greatest quality, though, is both Castro and DePasquale are never satisfied with even excellence. In even the best of games, the pitcher-catcher duo on the field and the No. 3-4 combo in their lineup always finds little ways to improve or tweak their games individually and collectively.
Quotable:
Pasadena coach Chris Rucker on Adrian DePasquale: “He is a captain and one of the best catchers we have had here at PHS. He makes it a challenge on opposing hitters by calling a good game. He is a leader through his actions, not by being vocal. He and Alvie make up the best 3-4 combo in the Pacific League.”
Pasadena coach Chris Rucker on Alvie Castro: “Alvie is without question the captain of this team. During practice, he is focused on getting his work done and he gets even more work done after practice. He contributes to PHS by bringing 100-percent and more to every game and practice. It’s not easy for a pitcher to bat third in the lineup. I have never seen him more focused than I have this year.”
Getting To Know Adrian DePascuale:
Favorite Athlete: Mike Trout
Favorite Sports Team: Angels
Favorite Movie: Fight Club
Favorite Musical Artist: Xxxtentacion
Musical Artist People Might Be Surprised I Like: Ski Mask the Slump God
Famous Person (alive or dead) I’d Want A Conversation With: Henry David Thorough
Getting To Know Alvie Castro:
Favorite Athlete: Clayton Kershaw
Favorite Sports Team: Dodgers
Favorite Movie: Act of Valor
Favorite Musical Artist: Tupac
Musical Artist People Might Be Surprised I Like: Red Hot Chili Peppers
Famous Person (alive or dead) I’d Want A Conversation With: Derek Jeter
Pacific League Standings Through April 21:
Arcadia (18-0 overall, 8-0 in league)
Crescenta Valley (17-4, 8-0)
Pasadena (14-7, 5-3)
Burroughs (10-11, 4-4)
Burbank (6-9, 4-4)
Muir (7-7-1, 3-5)
Glendale (3-14-1, 0-8)
Hoover (1-18, 0-8)
Pasadena’s Remaining Schedule:
April 24: Burbank at Pasadena at 3:30
April 28: Pasadena at Burbank at 7
May 1: Pasadena at Arcadia at 3:30
May 4: Arcadia at Pasadena at 3:30
May 8: Pasadena at Muir at 3:30
May 11: Muir at Pasadena at 3:30
Pasadena Record By Year:
2018: (Through April 21): 14-7
2017: 13-13
2016: 10-17
2015: 17-11
