Dave Dombrowski talks up Tigers prospect Nick Castellanos

Detroit Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski continues to speak highly about prospect Nick Castellanos this offseason. Castellanos struggled in the Arizona Fall League, only hitting .242 with one home run, but Dombrowski told the media that the outfielder was tired.

Castellanos performed much better during the regular season, hitting .320 with 10 homers and an .815 OPS between Single-A and Double-A in 2012. Castellanos also made the All-Star Futures Game last season, and earned MVP honors thanks to a three-hit afternoon.

Dombrowski discussed Castellanos' struggles this season as well as his future potential, telling the media:

"He's got a nice swing. I think he ran out of gas this year. He had a lot of stuff going on, a lot of expectations attached to him for a youngster. A lot of people focused on him, but this guy can hit."

Castellanos was generally regarded as the second-best player in the farm system last year, but with the loss of pitcher Jacob Turner, the outfielder is now recognized as the team's top prospect heading into next season. The general manger also talked about the recognition Castellanos is receiving around the game, stating:

"This is just not our reports. We're talking about a bureau report that you can read that we get. Some people think the guy's going to be an impact bat almost immediately. Those were their words: 'impact bat.'"

Castellanos started this season at third base, but switched to the outfield, so he still has some strides to make in the field. He should be ready, however, to hit when he earns his spot in the big leagues.