Welington Castillo

Orioles Notes: Miley, Rotation, Lineup, Farm System

By Steve Adams | October 18, 2017 at 9:03am CDT

There was a “legitimate possibility” of the Orioles exercising Wade Miley’s $12MM club option for the 2018 season before a late collapse, writes Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun, but the team now looks likely to buy that option out for $500K. Baltimore will be on the hunt for a left-handed starter this winter, but as Encina points out, the free-agent market is hardly rife with appealing options. Most of the lefties available are reclamation projects or back-of-the-rotation starters, with 35-year-old Jason Vargas and 37-year-old CC Sabathia representing the southpaws that enjoyed the most success in 2017. Encina notes that the weak crop of lefty starters may force the O’s to really evaluate whether they’d like to “balance” out their all-right-handed rotation or simply set their sights on overall quality regardless of handedness. Of course, it should be noted that even the offseason crop of right-handed starters carries more question marks than sure things, and the O’s will need to add a minimum of two starters. Suffice it to say, GM Dan Duquette will have his work cut out for him.

More out of Baltimore…

The O’s don’t look likely to make any significant additions to their lineup, writes Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. Catcher Welington Castillo is expected to decline his modest $7MM player option on the heels of a terrific all-around season, but Baltimore may simply hand catching duties over to top prospect Chance Sisco and Caleb Joseph. In the outfield, Adam Jones will return in center field, with Trey Mancini and young Austin Hays the favorites to work in the corners. (Mark Trumbo, then, would be the DH.) However, Kubatko does note that Hays, a 2016 third-rounder who skyrocketed through the system, won’t merely be handed a job. Inferring a bit, that’d suggest that the O’s could add a veteran outfield option to push Hays and possibly handle some corner work early in the year of Hays proves to need more development time.
While the Orioles’ farm has long been ranked among the bottom minor league systems in the game, they’ve made some significant progress in that regard as of late, writes MASNsports.com’s Steve Melewski. Melewski spoke to MLB.com’s Jim Callis and both J.J. Cooper and John Manuel of Baseball America in recent weeks, with each suggesting that the Orioles now rate more as a middle-of-the-pack farm (in the 15 to 20 range throughout MLB). The improvements come largely based on Hays’ breakout and the presence of Sisco, both of whom will likely exhaust their rookie status early in the 2018 season. But 2017 first-rounder DL Hall, 2015 supplemental rounder Ryan Mountcastle and a once-again healthy Hunter Harvey have helped bolster the top end of the farm for the time being. There’s still a lack of pitching help in the upper levels, however — an element that is particularly troublesome given the current state of the big league roster.

Quick Hits: Suarez, Castillo, Pearce, Morimando

By Mark Polishuk | September 23, 2017 at 4:58pm CDT

Eugenio Suarez is “open for everything” in terms of discussing an extension with the Reds, MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon reports. Suarez will be eligible for arbitration for the first time this winter, though he’s still focused on the season and not on the numbers. “I don’t think about how much I want. I just want to sign with this team. I don’t want hesitation or arbitration,” Suarez said. The third baseman is in line for a very nice payday in the wake of a breakout season that saw him hit .265/.374/.476 with a career-best 26 home runs. As Sheldon notes, the Reds just signed Tucker Barnhart (another player about to enter arbitration eligibility) to a long-term deal, and Suarez certainly makes sense as an extension candidate this winter. MLBTR’s Jeff Todd recently opined that Suarez’s future with the team could be at shortstop, should Zack Cozart leave in free agency and third base prospect Nick Senzel forces his way into the big league lineup in 2018.

Here are some notes from around the big leagues…

Welington Castillo is concentrating on playing and tells Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun that he has yet to consider the player option decision facing him after the season. The catcher did say, however, that he enjoys playing in Baltimore and wants to remain with the Orioles. Castillo controls his own fate in the form of his $7MM option for 2018, though given his impressive numbers this year, he is likely to find a much richer long-term deal by testing the free agent market. From the perspective of Orioles executive VP of baseball operations Dan Duquette, the team would be happy to have Castillo back but the O’s also have catching depth in the form of Caleb Joseph and top prospect Chance Sisco. “Either way is helpful to the club,” Duquette said.
Steve Pearce has been shut down for the season due to a bad back, Sportsnet.ca’s Ben Nicholson-Smith reports. Pearce will receive epidural injections next week in order to hopefully solve the back soreness that has bothered him for much of the season. Pearce will conclude his first season with the Blue Jays with a .252/.319/.438 slash line and 13 homers in 348 PA, as he was limited to 92 games due to the back problem and a month-long DL stint due to a calf strain.
Left-hander Shawn Morimando has been sent home by the Indians due to a rather unusual reason — the team simply can’t find any innings for him, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports. Morimando was promoted on September 1 since the Tribe wanted extra pitching on hand for a double-header, but Morimando had yet to make an appearance over three weeks into his call-up. Morimando will still receive service time and pay for the remainder of the year. The 24-year-old does have some MLB experience on his resume, appearing in two games (4 2/3 IP) for Cleveland in 2016.

AL East Notes: Swihart, Yankees, Castillo

By Steve Adams | September 4, 2017 at 9:26am CDT

The Red Sox have been getting Blake Swihart experience at first base, and he’s also been taking grounders at third base, writes Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe. Boston also plans to send the 25-year-old former top prospect to winter ball this year, which will allow him to make up for some missed time (due to injuries) but could also boost his trade value by showcasing some versatility. The switch-hitting Swihart was long touted as Boston’s catcher of the future, but Christian Vazquez and Sandy Leon look locked in for the 2018 season, when Swihart will be out of minor league options. “We recognize where he’s at contractually going into next year,” manager John Farrell tells Abraham. “Trying to create some versatility on the defensive side of things is part of the overall plan.” Swihart’s surgically repaired ankle has still limited him this year, so the extra time in winter ball could prove especially important as the Sox make a determination on his future.

Orioles Designate Francisco Pena For Assignment

By charliewilmoth | June 10, 2017 at 2:22pm CDT

The Orioles have announced they’ve reinstated catcher Welington Castillo from the 10-day disabled list. To clear space for him on the active roster, they’ve designated fellow catcher Francisco Pena for assignment. Castillo had missed the last ten days with a groin injury, and Pena had served as Caleb Joseph’s backup during that time.

This is the third time the Orioles have designated the out-of-options Pena this year. The O’s acquired him from the Royals during the 2015-16 offseason, then optioned him back and forth between Triple-A Norfolk and the big leagues last season. They designated him the first time in Spring Training this year, then again in May. He has cleared waivers each time, so the O’s could be hoping to send him back to Norfolk yet again if he clears for a third time. The 27-year-old is a career .247/.292/.450 hitter in 327 Triple-A games. He’s regarded as a strong defender.

Orioles Notes: Castillo, Alvarez, Jackson, Andino

By Steve Adams | May 31, 2017 at 9:48pm CDT

The Orioles placed catcher Welington Castillo on the 10-day DL this afternoon after he suffered a groin injury that stemmed from a ball that deflected off the foot of Didi Gregorius when Gregorius was hit by a pitch yesterday. As MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko writes, Castillo spent several hours in the emergency room yesterday, though the injury is “not nearly as serious” as the testicular injury suffered by Caleb Joseph last year that cost Joseph a month of the season and required surgery. “He’s got a hematoma there in his groin that we’re going to monitor and see how it progresses,” manager Buck Showalter told reporters (via Kubatko). The O’s debated whether they should even put Castillo on the DL, per Kubatko, as the current belief is that he won’t require 10 days.

A few more notes on the Orioles…

Kubatko also points out (on Twitter) that Pedro Alvarez has an opt-out clause in his contract tomorrow. The 30-year-old slugger entered play today hitting just .219/.293/.443 through 51 games, though he belted his 12th homer of the season in today’s game. That continues an outrageous tear for Alvarez, who has now homered eight times in his past 13 games and is hitting well over .300 in that stretch. Alvarez has been trying his hand in right field with Baltimore’s Triple-A affiliate in Norfolk, though most teams would likely still view him as a first base/designated hitter candidate.
I’ll also point out that the minor league deal that veteran right-hander Edwin Jackson inked with the Orioles back in April reportedly contained a June 1 opt-out provision as well (according to Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun). While Jackson has had issues with his control down in Norfolk, he’s logged a 3.86 ERA with 14 strikeouts through 16 1/3 innings. Of course, he’s also issued 10 walks, hit two batters and uncorked a pair of wild pitches, so there are plenty of red flags with the mercurial righty.
The league announced today that veteran infielder Robert Andino, who was playing with Baltimore’s Triple-A affiliate, has been hit with a 50-game suspension after testing positive for Amphetamine. The 33-year-old Andino logges his first 13 games in the Majors since 2013 last season and was off to a .234/.282/.375 start through 2016 plate appearances in Triple-A.

Orioles Place Welington Castillo On DL, Purchase Contract Of Francisco Pena, Designate Damien Magnifico

By Jeff Todd | May 2, 2017 at 4:55pm CDT

5:02pm: Baltimore has announced that it designated righty Damien Magnifico to open a roster spot. He had been acquired from the Brewers in mid-April. Magnifico made his MLB debut in 2016 but has struggled in limited action at Triple-A this year.

4:55pm: The Orioles will place backstop Welington Castillo on the 10-day DL after he was diagnosed with shoulder tendinitis, skipper Buck Showalter told reporters including Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com (Twitter links). Taking his place will be fellow receiver Francisco Pena.

Fortunately, there does not appear to be any significant structural issue underlying Castillo’s shoulder troubles. It seems there’s reason to hope that he won’t require a lengthy stint on the DL. Castillo has opened the year with a strong .314/.333/.443 batting line.

Adding Pena, meanwhile, will necessitate the opening of a 40-man roster spot. He’ll likely function as the reserve to Caleb Joseph while he’s up. Pena, 27, was outrighted over the winter. He has been productive (.290/.333/.419) in 33 plate appearances thus far at Triple-A.

Orioles Sign Welington Castillo

By Jeff Todd | December 16, 2016 at 8:30am CDT

Though recent reports had downplayed the possibility, the Orioles announced on Friday that they’ve signed free-agent backstop Welington Castillo to a one-year deal with an option for the 2018 season. That option is reportedly a player option, meaning Castillo will be guaranteed a total of $13MM but can opt out of the contract after the first season should he choose. The ACES client will earn $6MM in 2017 and $7MM in 2018 (if he opts into the second season of his deal).

Depending upon one’s perspective, then, that constitutes a two-year, $13MM pact with an opt-out after the first year. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz had projected he’d earn $5.9MM via arbitration before he was non-tendered by Arizona earlier in the offseason. Instead, he’ll get just north of that figure in 2017 while adding the security of the player option.

Assuming that the 29-year-old Castillo clears the Orioles’ medical check, he’ll step into the void left by fellow free agent Matt Wieters, who now seems all but certain to end up elsewhere. While it seems the contract will be framed as including a player option, it’s just the same as a two-year arrangement that includes an opt-out provision, as Baltimore will take the risk of a downturn in Castillo’s performance.

In Castillo, the Orioles will add one of the better power-hitting catchers in baseball. Since landing with the Diamondbacks in a mid-2015 trade, he has knocked 31 home runs in 760 plate appearances. Of course, the larger portion of the damage came in his first year in Arizona; Castillo fell back last year from a robust .216 isolated power mark to a roughly league-average level (.159).

Still, the overall offensive profile is a solid one for a receiver. All told, Castillo slashed .261/.320/.452 with the D-Backs. He does carry rather pronounced platoon splits, hammering lefties while operating at around a .700 OPS clip against same-handed pitchers. Presumptive reserve Caleb Joseph has more neutral numbers for his career, showing slightly more power against righties but reaching base much more frequently when operating without the platoon advantage.

While Castillo has brought more overall offensive production of late than the long-time starter he’ll replace, the O’s new leading man behind the dish isn’t much loved for his glove. StatCorner rated him as a slightly below-average framer last year, while Baseball Prospectus mostly panned his framing work. BP regarded his other measurable skills (blocking, throwing) at a roughly average rate.

Regardless of whether one prefers Castillo or Wieters, there’s no denying that the O’s will save some payroll space by taking this route — at least, that is, as against last year’s payout to Wieters, who accepted a $15.8MM qualifying offer. It remains to be seen what the 30-year-old switch hitter will end up with now that he’s a free agent for the first time, though the paucity of teams still seeking everyday options behind the plate does not necessarily bode well for any hopes of a large, lengthy contract.

Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports first reported the agreement (Twitter links) as well as the financial details of the deal (also via Twitter).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Welington Castillo Unlikely To Sign With Orioles

By Jeff Todd | December 12, 2016 at 6:14pm CDT

While we’ve heard plenty of chatter connection the Orioles to free-agent catcher Welington Castillo, it now seems more likely that he’ll land with another team, according to Dan Connolly of BaltimoreBaseball.com. More than one competitor has dangled a multi-year offer to the receiver, per the report, though it’s not yet clear whether any clubs have advanced to offering a three-year guarantee.

The Rays and Braves have also previously been tied to Castillo, whose market launched after a surprising non-tender from the Diamondbacks just ten days back. Tampa Bay, however, is likely out of the mix after making a relatively sizable commitment to Wilson Ramos. While the Braves have a number of in-house possibilities already under contract, the Atlanta organization has long been said to be an opportunistic participant in the catching market.

Castillo remains an interesting addition to the open-market mix. While his glove isn’t well loved, he has been quite productive ever since coming to Arizona in the middle of 2015. He owns a .261/.320/.452 batting line with 31 homers in the 760 plate appearances with the D-Backs. Though it’s true that he wasn’t quite as good in 2016 as he was the year prior, Castillo still showed plenty of bat for a catcher.

As for the O’s, missing on Castillo could lead the team to turn back to the rest of the market. Their own free agent, Matt Wieters, remains available and appears to be looking at an ever-shrinking list of plausible landing spots (at least, that is, on the kind of deal he’s probably hoping for). Baltimore has previously been tied to Nick Hundley and Chris Iannetta, though it’s not yet clear where they might turn if Castillo does land elsewhere.

Looking further down the list of available backstops, there remain a number of fairly well-known free agents — though most profile more as platoon mates or pure reserves. Kurt Suzuki has spent much of his career as the primary option behind the dish, having played in at least 100 games in eight of the last nine seasons; his market has been quiet (at least publicly). Players such as Alex Avila, Hank Conger, Chris Gimenez, Ryan Hanigan, Dioner Navarro, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, and Geovany Soto have all seen plenty of MLB action in recent years.

Orioles Rumors: Trumbo, Carter, Alvarez, Gausman, Outfielders

By Connor Byrne | December 11, 2016 at 8:47am CDT

The latest on the Orioles, courtesy of Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com:

At last check, Baltimore and free agent outfielder/first baseman Mark Trumbo had agreed to a four-year framework, but the sides remained far apart on the slugger’s worth. Despite that, the Orioles likely have the best offer on the table for Trumbo, according to Kubatko. If they’re unable to re-sign Trumbo, the O’s could bring back free agent designated hitter Pedro Alvarez, but he’ll probably end up elsewhere if Trumbo returns to Baltimore. And contrary to an earlier report, the Orioles are not in on free agent first baseman/DH Chris Carter, per Kubatko.
While the Rockies could trade one of their outfielders this offseason, they’re unlikely to reach a deal with the Orioles. No matter which Rockie the Orioles have shown interest in, Colorado has consistently pressed for right-hander Kevin Gausman in trade talks. The Orioles aren’t going to move Gausman, though, as he’s arguably their top starter and has four years of club control remaining. Gausman, 25, led all Orioles starters in innings pitched (179 2/3), ERA (3.61) and K/BB ratio (3.7) last season.
The Orioles are in the lead for free agent catcher Welington Castillo’s services, writes Kubatko. Baltimore is willing to give a two-year deal to Castillo, who has been seeking a three-year pact since the Diamondbacks non-tendered him Dec. 2.
Moving to the outfield, the O’s haven’t closed the door on re-signing free agent Michael Bourn. The club acquired the fleet-footed Bourn from the Diamondbacks at the end of August, and he then proceeded to hit .283/.358/.435 with two home runs and a pair of steals over 55 plate appearances. Meanwhile, the Orioles haven’t discussed a contract extension with fellow outfielder Hyun Soo Kim, who’s entering the final season of the two-year, $7MM deal he signed as a free agent from Korea last winter. The lefty-swinging Kim accrued 346 PAs – 323 against righties – as a major league rookie in 2016 and held his own with a .302/.382/.420 line.

Orioles Targeting Welington Castillo

By Jeff Todd | December 9, 2016 at 6:00pm CDT

The Orioles’ preferred option behind the plate is free-agent backstop Welington Castillo, according to a report from Dan Connolly of BaltimoreBaseball.com. Interest had previously been reported, and Robert Murray of Fan Rag suggested yesterday that there was some momentum building towards a deal.

Baltimore has continued to discuss a possible multi-year contract with Castillo’s representatives since the Winter Meetings wrapped up yesterday, Connolly writes. There’s some “optimism” on the team’s part, though talks remain “firmly in the discussion phase” at this time.

Castillo is one of several names still under consideration for the O’s, but seems to have emerged as the favorite. Incumbent Matt Wieters and veterans Nick Hundley and Chris Iannetta are other options that appear still to be possibilities as Baltimore seeks a primary backstop to pair with Caleb Joseph.

Castillo, 29, was a somewhat surprising addition to the market after he was non-tendered by the Diamondbacks. Given the fact that he seems to be lining up for a contract that covers two or more years, though, that may turn out to have been a blessing (depending upon what guarantee he is able to command, at least). Castillo was projected to earn $5.9MM in his final season of arb eligibility.

Castillo is regarded as a bat-first catcher, with some real questions about his glovework — in the framing department, in particular. But the bat does play quite nicely, especially when one considers the dearth of offensive output from receivers leaguewide. Since joining the DBacks in the middle of the 2015 season, Castillo has slashed .261/.320/.452 and driven 31 home runs over 760 plate appearances.

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