LAS VEGAS — At 5-foot-10 and 162 pounds, Rockies reliever Blas Castaño is by no means overpowering on the mound. However, what he doesn’t have in terms of intimidation he makes up for with a funky delivery and fearless attitude.

Colorado coaches preach for their pitchers to pound the strike zone and Castaño has taken the message to heart. Of his first pitches to a batter, 67.5 percent go for strikes, well above the MLB average of 61.1 percent.

Castaño also makes sure not to waste those first strikes, eventually striking out 20.8 percent of the batters he faces. Through his first 18 1/3 innings with the Rockies, Castaño racked up 16 strikeouts.

In his first season in Colorado, the 27-year-old right-hander believes strongly his success on the mound starts long before he steps onto it.

“I have God-given ability, God-given talent, but I think God’s also given me a good routine in the weight room, a good routine with the trainers and a good routine to recover,” Castaño said through interpreter Edwin Perez. “You have to recover and you have to rest as much as you can, so you’re ready for the next day.

“It’s important to have that kind of routine of being able to rest and be able to recover so your arm’s ready. I have to give credit to God for the talent that I have for what I’m able to throw out there mechanically.”

The mechanics are one of the first things noticed about Castaño on the diamond. He pitches with a 30-degree arm slot (three degrees higher than he had last season in his one appearance with the Seattle Mariners), which can add deceptiveness to the pitch. It’s worked especially well with his sweeper this season, a pitch that opposing batters are hitting just .158 against on 78 pitches.

Combine that with his sinker (his most-thrown pitch at 39.7 percent this season) and Castaño can keep opponents off-balance at the plate.

He’s also able to go multiple innings, a key plus for any pitcher under Colorado’s new front office philosophy of bulk relievers. Castaño has thrown two or more innings in seven of his eight outings this season.

That includes a 2 2/3-inning appearance on June 6 against Milwaukee when he scattered three hits and kept the Brewers off the scoreboard. When he was lifted after 46 pitches, he was greeted with applause from the fans behind the Rockies dugout.

In a rare moment, Castaño tipped his cap to them as he left the field. Relievers tipping their cap after a middle-inning stint isn’t seen often, but it shows the level of appreciation Castaño has this season for finding a home in Colorado.

Signed to a minor league contract on June 1, 2018, by the New York Yankees, Castaño got as high as Triple-A before being released on Aug. 8, 2023. Three days later, the Mariners signed him and sent him to Double-A, once again forcing Castaño to climb toward his MLB dreams.

He finally made his MLB debut on May 28, 2025, throwing three innings for Seattle. That, however, would be the last time he threw a big-league pitch until the Rockies selected him off waivers from Seattle on April 21.

After that journey, it’s easy to see why there’s emotion when Castaño pitches. An inning-ending out often comes with a yell from Castaño as he heads toward the dugout, especially if a strikeout is what ends the frame.

“It’s always been part of my career. I think it’s something that bursts out of me,” Castaño said of the emotion he shows on the mound. “It’s in my heart. Every time I cross that line, I think that energy just naturally comes out of me. When I’m out there on the mound, I’m going to give all of my energy and just enjoy baseball.”

That energy is just one of the things Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said Castaño brings to the team.

“Blas is really, really good for us,” Schaeffer said. “He attacks the strike zone and pitches with energy. When he is in there, he’s throwing strikes and throwing strikes. He’s been really, really good for us. I like the way he pitches.”

Those words put a smile on Castaño’s face as he believes he has found a home in Colorado’s bullpen.

“It feels good to have that kind of role and that kind of trust and faith from the team in me,” Castaño said. “I’m super proud and I’m super thankful that this organization has provided me this opportunity and trusts me when the time comes. I’m just proud to be a part of this team.”