The Rangers have acquired catcher Welington Castillo and international draft bonus pool money from the White Sox in exchange for minor league outfielder and corner infielder Jonah McReynolds, as per Rangers executive VP of communications John Blake (Twitter link). Texas has also outrighted left-hander Jesse Biddle and outfielder Zack Granite to Triple-A, with Biddle first being reinstated from the 60-day injured list.
The Rangers will get $250K in international bonus funds, as per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link), which seems to have been the team’s real incentive for the trade. Texas is expected to decline Castillo’s $8MM club option and instead pay him a $500K buyout.
In essence, the White Sox decided to save that $500K of Major League payroll in favor of giving up $250K in international money. It could be that the Sox also simply decided McReynolds was of more interest to them than any other prospects who might arise on the international market.
Castillo became expendable in Chicago after he hit only .209/.267/.417 over 251 PA in 2019, losing playing time to James McCann in the process. This comes on the heels of a 2018 season that saw Castillo post some respectable numbers (94 OPS+, 96 wRC+) for a catcher over 181 PA, though that year was marred by an 80-game PED suspension.
While the $8MM salary was too rich for the Rangers’ liking, it wouldn’t be a total surprise to see the team have an interest in Castillo at a lower price. While Castillo struggled at the plate last year, his numbers still represent an improvement over what the current Texas catching corps (Jeff Mathis, Jose Trevino, Isiah Kiner-Falefa) produced in 2019. Then again, the Rangers could also choose to stand pat at catcher since they have several other areas to address this winter.
McReynolds, who turns 24 in December, was a 13th-round pick for the Rangers in the 2016 draft. He has a .217/.285/.322 slash line over 637 PA in his first four pro seasons, the last three of which have been spent at low A-ball. He has played all over the diamond as a professional, though spent much of 2019 focused on third base and first base.
Here we go! #OFFSZN
Can FA sign whenever? Is there a starting date?
Copied from CBS Sports:
Oct. 31: As of 9 a.m. ET on Thursday, all eligible players are free agents. MLB used to make players file for free agency, which was a total waste of time. Now players automatically become free agents once eligible (i.e. six-plus years of service time). It is important to note free agents can not sign with new teams just yet. They have to wait five days for that.
Thank you.
yw
I think it’s 5 days after World Series
As long as he hits better then damn jeff mathis
More proof of just how cheap Reinsdorf is. By ‘giving up’ intl slot money they save themselves, from spending even more money – towards improving their talent base.
So typical Reinsdorf.
You sound like real moron! Just like Jones, Castillo’s days were over with the White Sox so these two guys were just traded to team that has been looking to get more international bonus money to make a splash this upcoming year and get two prospects to fill in spots in their farm system while not buying out the options.
The Sox saved $1.25mil on Nate Jones. They saved $500K on Welington Castillo. And they used $1.25mil of intl bonus value to do it. How is Dogbones’ post in any way innacurate?
Calling the players recieved by the Sox “prospects” is a joke. Minor league fodder can be acquired in much smarter, less damaging ways.
And who are the uninformed sheep upvoting your comment?
Jones and Castillo’s days were done! The White Sox don’t plan on making a splash in the international signings so it makes sense to grab two players to fill holes in the system. There is no guarantee these players will ever make the MLB roster since they blocked by other players in the farm system on the MLB roster.
Not making a “splash” on the intl signings for 3 years is the issue. You shouldn’t gloss over that. Again, filling minor league rosters by giving up bonus $ is bad. Look at all the articles about how much this exact miserly scheme hurt the Orioles.
The White Sox made a huge splash with signing Robert and he has been killing it through the minor leagues where he will be a good MLB player once he comes up sometime in 2020. With the White Sox having a low pay roll and controllable player it looks they are planning to make a splash this off-season with a few free agent signings along with a trade. The money is there!
Sox making a ‘splash’!! Ha ha, ha ha ha. Don’t hold your breath. That is what you hear EVERY off season from the White Sox devotees. I can remember, going back to when Barry Bonds was a FA. Reinsdorf is THE problem.
Let me guess, you are a Cubs’ fan!
C’mom pplama: The White Sox could not make another international “splash” after signing Luis Robert to that $26MM bonus and matching overage penalty for more than $300k over the following two years. When that period expired this past summer they then signed Cuban Yolmer Sanchez to a $2.5MM bonus. He immediately became the top SS prospect in the White Sox minor league system.
Sanchez was actually available to sign in the 2018-2019 period but waited until the next one to ink his deal with the White Sox because their $300k restriction was still in place following the Robert signing. Because Sanchez is already 22 and had played in Cuba since he was 18 he figures to be on a fast track to the Southside of Chicago.
Sanchez is already considered to have an MLB caliber glove and arm and just needs to work on improving his hitting which showed promise in his debut in the DSL this past summer particularly with his .386 OBP and 15/12 walk to strikeout ratio.
Sanchez could very well become the White Sox core shortstop to pair with Gold Glove candidate second baseman Nick Madrigal if incumbent SS Tim Anderson can’t improve his defense in the next year or two.
pplama- sounds like you’re the uniformed one lol did you forget they signed Robert to that exorbitant international deal? They can barely do anything in the international market right now, so may as well save $500k for another player.
Comparing the White Sox to the Orioles is insane when the White Sox have been retooling with draft picks from Madigral to Walker and Vaughn! The White Sox will spend money on pitching and make a trade for an outfielder. That’s my guess!!
Can’t hit – can’t catch – can’t run.
Hahn a genius to get anything for him.
Looks like McReyonlds made a career in the Northwest league
Texas what are you thinking
They were only interested in the slot money. They will not jeep Castillo.
Will they truck him?
Only if they can’t a Ford him.
Acquiring Castillo was a major coupe.
Good job by the Sox getting something for him when he was going to be released anyway
World Series here we come!
He had a $8mm team option with a $500k buyout for the 2020 season. Is there some info we’re missing here?
Either way, good riddance.
They basically gave up Intl money for a minor league cast-off.
The White Sox also freed up a roster spot which was going to happen either through this trade or with a a straight $500k buyout of Welington Castillo’s $8MM 2020 contract option. Why don’t we wait to see what transpires this offseason and then pass judgement on who that spot may eventually go to?
It’s been conjectured that the White Sox may pursue pending free agent C Yasmani Grandal this winter to pair with incumbent James McCann who only has one more year of arbitration eligibility remaining before he can become a FA himself next offseason. Unlike last winter, Grandal cannot be tagged with a QO if he expectedly chooses to opt-out of his Brewers deal in the coming days.
Because of MLB expansion of rosters to 26 next season, the White Sox may very well carry 3 catchers on their active list. McCann will be one while top C prospect Zack Collins will be the second. Collins is still defensively challenged and may see more time as a platoon DH and backup at 1B in 2020 and simply become the White Sox third catching option. A Grandal signing would make that a more likely scenario and also give the White Sox a certain core starting catcher beyond the upcoming season should McCann depart next winter.
He was sorta a hot catcher on the market a couple years ago. At the time, I wanted the Braves to possibly get him…. glad we didn’t
I hope Jon will pay his buyout and essentially buy some pool money.
If he plans on keeping him I don’t get this move other than anyone is better than Mathis.
Is Daniel’s going to pay this guy
$8 million dollars or release him and try to sign him for less!!??
The Rangers just answered my question.
That was quick!
Welington Castillo was a clear choice to have his 2020 team option bought ought by the White Sox for $500k in the coming days. Now they won’t have to. Instead they will pay the Rangers to take him off their hands by forking over some international bonus pool dollars while also receiving a fringe prospect in return.
White Sox fans will have no beef with the Wellington departure.
wrong.
This was a terrible way to do it. Sox can’t continue to give up on acquiring J2 talent..
This was a brilliant move by the Rangers. They have done a great job of picking up international slot money for next to nothing. $250k doesn’t move the needle much. But if Texas can bundle it with another teams slot money, it puts them in the drivers seat to get some of the more highly sought after international players.
Did you read the article? They’re not “giving up” on anything.
The Sox spent 2 years in the J2 penatly trading away all the bonus pool they could.
Their grand return in 2019 has seen Hahn trade away $1.5milin in slot room and the big signing is a guy who won’t be stateside until he’s 25.
It’s as close to what the Orioles did as there is in baseball.
How can you carry water on this one, chisoxcity? It doesn’t take a student of the game to see what he’s doing.
Uh, he got rid of two non-productive players for a young-ish prospect. Let’s see what Hahn does this offseason before we crucify the guy just yet.
pplama: Of course that one major international signing this past summer was a $2.5MM bonus for top Cuban shortstop prospect Yolbert Sanchez who could very well turn out to be the White Sox core player at the position within two years if Tim Anderson can’t get his act together defensively. T7 needs to improve on his E6 if the White Sox have any intentions of competing for another championship in the coming years. Sanchez already possesses an MLB caliber glove and arm and could be ready for prime time in two years.
Why would it matter how old Sanchez is if and when he makes his MLB debut? It could happen when he is 24, 25 or perhaps never. Time will tell.
The last time the White Sox signed a Cuban who eventually became their starting SS it was Alexei Ramirez who made his MLB debut at 26, the same age he was signed at in January of 2008. Ramirez never even played SS in Cuba and debuted with the White Sox as their opening day CF before becoming their regular second baseman. He played a little SS in 2008 but didn’t become their regular starter at the position until 2009 at age 27 where he was more than serviceable as a hitter and defender for 7 seasons.
Sanchez needs to improve his hitting but clearly possesses more credentials as an MLB shortstop than what Ramirez had when the White Sox signed him back in 2008 at age 26.
why not wait until he’s a free agent?
You would think….
bc the rangers obviously wanted the slot money and not the player
From the Rangers perspective–they’re getting a veteran catcher for a one-year 8m dollar deal, w/out having to give up much. Maybe the intnl. bonus pool money helped drive this deal.
CWS save $500K-whatever pool money they throw in, so let’s say save $250k. Get back a 23 yr old utility player with a career average of .220? Is there some kind of human trafficking law in MLB that says you must get a live person in return. Why not just say the Rangers gave us $250k for Wellington Castillo?!
No.
Sox didn’t actually send pool $. It’s slot value. So they save $500 on Castillo + whatever amount they can no longer spend on a crucially important pipeline of talent.
Interesting trade. Texas gets International draft money, and if the keep him a catcher that’s a league average hitter lifetime but will cost them 8 M. He hasn’t hit since he moved to Chicago. He does hit better than Mathis which isn’t hard to do.
Biddle seems like a good buy low bounce back candidate. He’s not too old and was very good in 2018.
No – guy is done
The White Sox continuing to squander J2 slot value, to shed little bits of player salary is a terrible way to do things.
An important talent pool the Sox have essentially given up on.
Dude, you need to relax. A glass of rye should do the trick.
Lemming
When someone makes actual good points critical of your team you reply with that. Guess you save all your great insight to bash the cubs
Beef, it’s all part of the process.
Bye, don’t let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya
Wow Sox lucked out getting a player for Castillo. He’s worth about 2 McChickens.
That player isn’t worth one McNugget.
Cheap. Cheap. Cheap. Cheap. Cheap.
5 McChickens?
McReynolds. He can’t field. But he makes up for it, by not making contact.
Seriously, what was the point? Just cut Castillo and keep the pool money.
Minor, but sensible, deal by both teams. Sox save the money they would have had to pay Castillo for half as much money they likely wouldn’t have gotten anyone good for anyway. Texas gets that much closer to going after a high-end international signing. Don’t get all the negative comments.
Because people don’t get it, since they just like complaining on here all of the time!
Fernando Tatis Jr. signed for 825k. There is a better way to use bonus pool money than trading it away to save a few bucks on failed signings.
It matters.
Sox just spent 2 years in the J2 penalty. First year back Hahn has given up $1,25mil in bonus to save $1.75mil on buyouts. Ceding such an important talent pipeline is not sensible.
Hire scouts that will put that $ to good use for the long-term health of the club.
Neither team has any interest in Castillo as this trade was all about money. The White Sox decided to save $500K of Major League payroll in favor of giving up $250K in international money. This was a great move by the Rangers and a terrible move by the White Sox. International money is incredibly valuable to well run organizations as it is the only way to acquire international prospects.
I have a question to ask.
Is this “International Draft Bonus Pool Money” we are talking about REAL money or just a number that represents how much REAL money a team can spent?
In other words, did the White Sox actually write a check to Texas for $250,000?
The Rangers merely acquired an extra $250k to add to their 2019/2020 international bonus pool allotment while the White Sox forfeited a like amount from their own. It’s not a ‘check’ amount that can be used for any other expenditure other than the Rangers 2019/2020 international bonus pool allotment.