Jul 21, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos (8) celebrates in the dugout after scoring a run during the fourth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images Eric Hartline
Ahead of an offseason where there appears to be a real chance he'll be changing teams, Nick Castellanos has made the decision to no longer serve as his own agent.
According to Jon Heyman of The New York Post, Castellanos has hired Mato Sports Management to serve as his representation.
This feels particularly relevant considering president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski was non-committal about Castellanos' future with the Phillies when asked last week about frustrations that the outfielder publicly aired regarding his role and manager Rob Thomson this past season.
"Well, we'll see what happens," Dombrowski said. "I don't know. I'm not going to get into specific players that are on our roster under contract. But, the things that you talked about are accurate. But, we'll see what happens."
When asked by @TimKellySports about Nick Castellanos’ future with the Phillies, Dave Dombrowski was noncommittal.
(via @GraceDelPizzo) pic.twitter.com/0PMieK6NMq
Matt Gelb of The Athletic later reported that "Castellanos is expected to be traded or released this offseason as the Phillies remake their outfield."
When asked by On Pattison after the NLDS, Castellanos was also non-committal on whether he would want to return to the Phillies in 2026 if it wasn't in an everyday role.
"I think that right now, where I'm at is, I'm going to get some imaging on my knee, rest, then clean that up and see where we're at and then just go from there," Castellanos said. "So, first things first."
Typically a player under contract for $20 million next season would balk at being asked about whether they expect to be back. Castellanos didn't.
Castellanos hiring an agent is especially interesting because while Scott Boras negotiated the five-year/$100 million he signed as a free agent to join the Phillies prior to the 2022 season, the two-time All-Star chose to start representing himself late in the 2024.
He explained his decision at the outset of Spring Training this year.
"Well I think that I'm just more comfortable now that I don't feel intimidated to go to anybody who is employing me to go and ask questions about my status or wellbeing," Castellanos said. "But when you're younger and all you know is having an agent, you can feel intimidated or you're not supposed to go to the general manager of a team and ask a question on your behalf. You'd have to go through your legal representation to go and talk to them because the one-on-one could be [uncomfortable]. Like 'Oh, don't do that.' I'm past that point."
Nick Castellanos explains why he chose to represent himself.
(Via @TimKellySports) pic.twitter.com/Mo6dbQisqI
With that said, Castellanos didn't rule out ever having an agent again in the future, and whether he's traded or released, he probably will need one more this offseason than at any point previously in his career.
