The Yankees have claimed a utility player Diego Castillo The team claimed waivers from the Mets. On the corresponding move, player Jeter Downs He was assigned to the mission.
Castillo, 26, is returning to his original organization. The Yankees signed him as an amateur international from Venezuela but moved him to the Pirates' side Hoi Park In a 2021 deadline trade that didn't work out well for the Bucs. Both Castillo and Park were designated for assignment and were traded to new clubs by the end of 2022, while Holmes became the Yankees' closer.
As for Castillo, he hit .206/.251/.382 in 96 games with the Bucs in 2022 and was then traded to the Diamondbacks. The latter club kept him mostly in the minors, limiting him to just one major league appearance. In 124 Triple-A contests, he only hit three home runs but walked more than he struck out, averaging 17.4% on free passes compared to 14.2% on strikeouts. His .313/.431/.410 batting line translated into a wRC+ of 117. He had other good Triple-A seasons in that vein, combining minimal power with solid on-base abilities.
Defensively, Castillo played in all four positions of the pitch and spent time in the corners of the pitch. He can also pass a bag here and there, stealing 13 bags with the Renault last year. Despite this solid year with the Aces, he was in the trade round this offseason, coming off waivers from the Mets and now the Yankees.
The Yanks project to have a home run Anthony Rizzo, Gleyber Torres, Anthony Volpe And DJ LeMahieu. The guys in the corners are now in their mid-30s and coming off seasons marred by injuries. Volpe had some mixed results but he was only 22 years old and should be given a chance to continue his development. Torres is solid as a cornerstone but is in his final year managing the club before hitting free agency. Oswald Peraza, Oswaldo CabreraAnd Jorbet Vivas They are also on the 40-man roster but the club continues to focus on depth. They signed recently Kevin Smith, Josh Van Meter And Jose Rojas to minor league deals and have now added Castillo to the mix. Since Castillo still has an option remaining, he could be kept deep until he services as needed at the big league level.
They will also likely lose a depth player in today's trade, with Downs not on the roster. The 25-year-old is perhaps best known for his move from the Dodgers to the Red Sox as part of a return in a deal Mookie Betts And David Price. Although he was a top-100 prospect, he hasn't lived up to that billing yet. He struggled to establish himself with the Sox and has since gone to the Nationals and Yankees on waiver claims.
Between the Sox and Nats, he was pitched in just 20 major league games, hitting .182/.260/.273 in those games. His work in the minors hasn't been much better, with a combined slash of .200/.309/.365 over the past three years.
The Americans, who just claimed him last month, will have a week to trade him or try to pass him through waivers. Despite his lack of offensive production, he still garners interest from other clubs. He is still very young, has the former pedigree and defensive versatility. He lined up at the three outfield positions to left of first base and shortstop in the outfield. He also has one option year remaining, meaning he does not need to guarantee an active roster spot.
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