Nick Castellanos will be starting in left field ...
For Triple-A Toledo.
The Tigers sent their top prospect to minor league camp, along with seven others, officially ending any speculation that he might hit his way into a part-time role with the big-league club.
Detroit also sent outfielder Tyler Collins, infielder Argenis Diaz and right-handed starter Trevor Bell to minor league camp. The contracts of catcher Bryan Holaday and pitchers Jose Ortega and Duane Below were optioned to Toledo, while Hernan Perez was optioned to Double-A Erie.
Castellanos will undoubtedly begin his season with the Mud Hens, allowing him to work more on the transition to the outfield, and get the at-bats of a full-time player.
The organization has said all along that it wanted neither Castellanos nor fellow prospect Avisail Garcia to be part-time or bench players at the big league level, if it was going to cost them at-bats and stunt their growth. But that didn't stop fans — and others — from speculating that one or the other might end up as the right-handed complement to starter Andy Dirks in left field for the Tigers.
Holaday had a strong spring, but the Tigers brought in Brayan Pena to back up Alex Avila behind the plate, while Bell is considered pitching depth should the big-league rotation run into injury problems. Below has struggled since the beginning of last season.