The D-Backs are bringing again lefty reliever José Castillo on a minor league deal, experiences Daniel Álvarez-Montes of El Extrabase (X hyperlink). Castillo, a consumer of OL Baseball Group, will get a non-roster invite to MLB camp.
Castillo sticks within the group for a second season. He spent final 12 months with the Snakes’ high affiliate in Reno. He missed the primary half of the 12 months to harm and was restricted to 21 appearances. He tossed 20 2/3 innings of 4.35 ERA ball in a really robust park for pitchers. Castillo fanned an honest 24.4% of opponents in opposition to an 8.1% stroll price. His fastball averaged 94.3 MPH, a tick under the extent he confirmed with the Padres in 2023.
That usually stable efficiency wasn’t sufficient to get a giant league look with the Snakes a 12 months in the past. Nonetheless, Castillo sufficiently impressed the entrance workplace to get one other non-roster invite. Whereas he didn’t attain the majors final 12 months, he pitched in components of 4 seasons with San Diego. The Venezuelan-born southpaw has a 4.24 ERA in 40 1/3 large league innings.
A.J. Puk, Joe Mantiply and Kyle Nelson are the three lefty relievers on Arizona’s 40-man roster. Tommy Henry and Blake Walston may work in lengthy aid or as rotation depth. Puk will pitch in excessive leverage spots, whereas the soft-tossing Mantiply has been a gentle contributor within the center innings. Nelson missed nearly all of final season after present process surgical procedure to deal with thoracic outlet syndrome, so he may discover himself on the roster bubble in Spring Coaching. Andrew Saalfrank will probably be an choice halfway by the season. He’ll stay on the restricted record into June after being issued a one-year suspension for betting on MLB video games whereas he was within the low minors.
