ID-Backs returns with a lefty reliever José Castillo on a minor league contract, reports Daniel Álvarez-Montes of El Extrabase (X link). Castillo, a client of OL Baseball Group, will receive an unsigned invitation to MLB camp.
Castillo remains in the organization for the second season. He spent the last year with the top snake association in Reno. He missed the first half of the year due to injury and was limited to 21 appearances. He threw 20 2/3 innings of 4.35 ERA ball in a very tough park of pitchers. Castillo struck out a respectable 24.4% of opponents against an 8.1% walk rate. His fastball hit 94.3 MPH, a mark below the mark he hit with the Padres in 2023.
That solid play wasn’t enough to earn him a big league appearance with the Snakes last year. Still, Castillo impressed the front office enough to earn another non-participation invitation. Although he didn’t reach the majors last year, he pitched in parts of four seasons with San Diego. The Venezuelan-born southpaw has a 4.24 ERA in 40 1/3 major league innings.
AJ Puk, Joe Mantiply again Kyle Nelson they are the three recruits left on Arizona’s 40-man roster. Tommy Henry again Blake Walston it can work in long relief or as a depth of rotation. Puk will focus on the higher overs, while the struggling Mantiply has been a strong contributor in the middle innings. Nelson missed nearly all of last season after undergoing surgery to treat thoracic outlet syndrome, only to find himself on the roster bubble in Spring Training. Andrew Saalfrank it will be a mid-season option. He will remain on the restricted list in June after being handed a one-year suspension for betting on MLB games while in the minors.
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