Sometimes you run into kids in the Valley League who just love baseball. They’re here to get experience and improve, sure, but you can tell they just love playing the game.

Victor Castillo is one of those. When I caught up with him pretty early in the season, Castillo couldn’t stop talking about his love for the game, along with his drive to get better. He called it a “hunger.” His coaches agreed with the assessment as well. In fact, when Covington had Covid issues with about ten games to go, Castillo, who has been vaccinated, quickly moved to join another team- he just wasn’t done! So after 28 games with the Lumberjacks, he joined Charlottesville, and went 7-18 with six runs and four RBIs in only six games with the South Division champs.

Well, he sure had a good summer: in 114 total at-bats for the two teams, Castillo hit .325/.442/.474, with 27 runs scored, eight doubles, three home runs, 14 RBIs, an even 21/21 BB/K, and 15 stolen bases in 17 attempts. He finished tied for seventh in the league in doubles and walks, and tied for tenth in runs. He went 1-2 with a walk and two stolen bases in the All-Star game, and was named the South MVP.

He had a nine-game hitting streak from June 16 to June 27, was League Hitter of the Week once, and was named second team All-League in the outfield at the end of the season. He had three hits three times, including in his best game, on June 23 at Waynesboro, when he went 3-5, with three runs, a home run, three RBIs, and a walk.

Castillo received limited playing time at Florida Atlantic; in 2020 he went 1-2, and in 2021 he went 3-35. He has transferred to Central Florida, where he will join Waynesboro coach Zac Cole, who is an assistant coach there.