By Michael Heilman

The Philadelphia Phillies continued to assemble Joe Girardi’s coaching staff Friday by adding former major league player Juan Castro as infield coach.

Juan Castro played seventeen seasons in the major leagues playing shortstop, 2nd base, and 3rd base. His career batting average during his playing career was .229 with two hundred thirty-four RBI’s, five stolen bases, and thirty-six home runs. He played for several teams, including the Dodgers, Reds, Twins, Blue Jays, Orioles and the Phillies for fifty-four games in 2010. He made the final out to help Roy Holliday complete the no-hitter against then the Florida Marlins at Sun Life Stadium.

Castro, 47, is the first former Phillies player to join a coaching staff since Matt Stairs in 2017. Castro joined the Phillies last year as a Minor League infield coordinator. He is currently the manager of the Mexican national team in the WBSC Premier 12, a qualifying tournament for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

The Phillies continue to search for a new hitting coach as they are set to interview Nationals assistant hitting coach Joe Dillon. The Phillies hired Bryan Price last week as the new pitching coach.