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Astros, Jason Castro In Serious Contract Talks

By Connor Byrne | December 23, 2020 at 6:26pm CDT

The Astros and free-agent catcher Jason Castro are discussing a contract, according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. They’re “in serious talks and could be headed for a deal soon,” per Feinsand.

Signing with the Astros would be a homecoming of sorts for Castro, who began his career with the franchise after it used the 10th overall pick on him in 2008. He made his major league debut two years and later and became a regular for the Astros, with whom he batted .232/.309/.390 with 62 home runs in 2,266 plate appearances through 2016. That doesn’t look like a great stat line on paper, but with a 94 wRC+, Castro was an effective offensive player relative to his position. Castro combined that with well-regarded work behind the plate, where he has consistently earned praise for his pitch-framing skills.

Since his initial Astros tenure concluded, the 33-year-old Castro has played with the Twins, Angels and Padres. He inked a three-year, $24.5MM contract with Minnesota before 2017, and aside from an injury-shortened campaign in 2018, Castro gave the team solid production. Castro moved on last offseason on a one-year, $6.85MM guarantee with the Angels, who wound up sending him to the Padres before the August trade deadline. All told, Castro hit .188/.293/.375 with two home runs in 92 plate appearances between the two teams.

If he goes back to Houston, the left-handed Castro would team with righty-hitting Martin Maldonado to form a platoon at catcher. Garrett Stubbs, who has totaled a mere 49 PA in the bigs, is the only other catcher on the Astros’ 40-man roster.

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Houston Astros Jason Castro

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View Comments (42)

Comments

  1. puhl

    2 years ago

    Probably not a bad idea given the young pitchers we have. Maldonado can’t catch all 162 so a veteran to work with those young arms is preferred.

    Reply
    • lowtalker1

      2 years ago

      He was probably the worst catcher the padres had last season. He couldn’t call a game to save his life

      Reply
      • Padres458

        2 years ago

        Not worse than torrens.

        Reply
  2. Frahm_

    2 years ago

    He’s almost as good as James McCann would be a great underrated signing

    Reply
    • MetsFan22

      2 years ago

      If Mccan hits like he did with the White Sox’s and frames like last year. He isn’t really close. But overall a good signing by the Astros.

      Reply
      • Frahm_

        2 years ago

        Castro is a much better defender and arguably a similar hitter his production has been worse but his Statcast data looks the same so the fact that he’ll get much less is a steal also McCann doesn’t have a super long track record of effective hitting

        Reply
    • vtadave

      2 years ago

      Pretty sure he’s hit .208 since 201`7..

      Reply
      • stros1fan

        2 years ago

        You need to check out his splits. He’s a career 105 wRC+ hitter against RHP and an above-average pitch-framer. I am sure the far majority of his starts will be against RHP.

        Reply
    • DarkSide830

      2 years ago

      that couldn’t be father from the truth

      Reply
      • Frahm_

        2 years ago

        McCann xwOBA:
        2019: .327
        2020: .329

        Castro xwOBA:
        2019: .368
        2020: .337

        McCann FRM:
        2019: -9.0
        2020: 2.3

        Castro FRM:
        2019: 3.2
        2020: 0.3

        So in other words I couldn’t be closer to the truth

        Reply
        • jjd002

          2 years ago

          Mic drop

        • DTDATL

          2 years ago

          Nerd stats aren’t needed and don’t help any cause. McCann is improving defensively and is leaps and bounds better on offense. All you need are eyes to see that Castro can’t hold his jock.

        • MetsFan22

          2 years ago

          That’s why I said If he frames like last year……

        • MetsFan22

          2 years ago

          And mccan is a way better hitter…..

        • lolzmets

          2 years ago

          Yes he is the Mutt’s big money offseason signing! What a star for the big crapple!

        • WereAllJustGuestsHere

          2 years ago

          Castro is done being an effective MLB catcher. Angels overpaid him to make their team worse. Stop the Castro love. He’s AAA material with mileage which makes him a once a week mentor to a young pitcher. Good teams expose his declining defense.

        • Frahm_

          2 years ago

          Well McCann has produced more at the plate and been more valuable at the plate but Castro has been hitting the ball harder and better so interpret that how you want. McCann did improve defensively but you can’t take a 60 game sample size after so many years of below average defensive play. I can’t use stats either? Should I use my imagination or something??

        • Frahm_

          2 years ago

          I think a Castro flowers platoon would’ve put up similar production for much less money

        • WereAllJustGuestsHere

          2 years ago

          Less money yes. Less production yes. Two wrongs do not make a right.

        • stros1fan

          2 years ago

          McCann has a career 86 OPS+ and Castro has a 92. I wouldn’t put too much relevance into any stats from 2020. It was such an anomaly of a season.

        • WereAllJustGuestsHere

          2 years ago

          Aside from a nice stretch in 2019 Castro has been nothing but a washed up, declining catcher. Nobody cares what he did in 2014. This is a “what have you done for me lately” league. Lately Castro has been a liability.

  3. prov356

    2 years ago

    Good catcher but can’t hit a cantaloupe coming at him in slow motion.

    Reply
  4. fffbbb

    2 years ago

    Two bad offensive catchers don’t help at all. No playoffs for the cheaters in 2021.

    Reply
    • mlbnyyfan

      2 years ago

      The Catcher market is so thin that’s why I was hoping Sanchez would get a decent return if traded.

      Reply
      • larkraxm

        2 years ago

        First he wouldn’t get a decent return. Teams know that you are selling low on Sanchez. Second who do Yankees replace him with in thin catcher market??? Jason Castro???

        Reply
  5. Thomas E Snyder

    2 years ago

    NO!!!

    Reply
  6. Brad Kane

    2 years ago

    Jason CASTRO is becoming an ASTRO!

    Reply
    • larkraxm

      2 years ago

      That rhymes and you know it rhymes. Why won’t you admit that it rhymes.

      Reply
    • VonPurpleHayes

      2 years ago

      More rhymes than LeAnn.

      Reply
      • connfyoozed

        2 years ago

        More Rhymes than Busta… well, no actually, Busta rhymes for a living

        Reply
  7. DarkSide830

    2 years ago

    Castro Valley’s finest

    Reply
  8. Rsox

    2 years ago

    If it helps, Castro is still better offensively than Stubbs or Garneau was last year.

    Lots of young pitching for the Astros so more veteran help behind the plate the better

    Reply
    • Thomas E Snyder

      2 years ago

      That doesn’t help. Stubbs didn’t get a fair shot last year. Let him backup up Maldonado and trade for someone else at the trade deadline if necessary.

      Reply
      • gost1

        2 years ago

        Good point, but there will be plenty of work with an unbelievable stable in AAA just south of HOU (get to know Torres Dubin Conine and Browns), where Stubbs can commute. Jason is a Garneau upgrade. 2021 Something like Maldy 90 starts, JC 50, Stubbs callup for 20 games. Stubbs Lee, Papierski, Quintana, Perry in 2022 is the reason Astros not looking long-term signings. They have similar situation in the OF, waiting on a few key prospects in 2022.

        Reply
      • stros1fan

        2 years ago

        Have you seen the Astros farm system? Why wait to trade for someone when you can get a very viable back-up catcher for probably a low 1-year contract? The Astros really shouldn’t be making any trades until they improve their farm system.

        Reply
  9. Breakin' Wind

    2 years ago

    He’s had issues with passed balls 18/19 but this is better than passed gas, so says the plate umpires union.
    Seriously, Houston is a perfect spot for JC to land. Hope it happens, umps can stand back an extraf foot or so as needed.

    Reply
  10. Willie Mays Hayes

    2 years ago

    Rumour is Houston wanted him right away when they heard he cheated on his wife, they’re trying to recruit a new cheating culture made up of all diverse cheats who from different backgrounds who cheat across multiple areas in life,. GREAT MOVE!! NO-BRAINER!!

    Reply
    • pc01

      2 years ago

      I like people who attempt creative writing. This was very bad, but keep workshopping, practice, practice. You’ll get there.

      Reply
      • Willie Mays Hayes

        2 years ago

        Well I dont mind when people insult me or try to be funny…but when you start out trying to be superior, dont write one of the least clever, least witty setup lines ever written, such as….’I LIKE PEOPLE WHO ATTEMPT CREATIVE WRITING’…..it fails at attempted sarcasm, and lands into the smarmy category, and allows me to say such easy replies such as, ‘READ YOUR REPLY TO ME AND TAKE YOUR OWN ADVICE’

        Reply
  11. cygnus2112

    2 years ago

    I’m guessing with G. Stubbs turning 28 next year & despite the fact he’s a LHHC, the Astros are moving on from the perspective of him being the franchise’s next full time backstop…

    Reply
  12. CaseyAbell

    2 years ago

    At age 34 you have to wonder if Castro will land on the right side of replacement level. But he won’t cost much and can split time with Maldonado, another 34-year-old next year. Stubbs has never gotten a chance in the majors, but his .272/.361/.400 line in the minors is respectable and he’s much younger. Maybe an opportunistic team could get him from Houston. Catching is thin around the majors right now.

    Reply
  13. southern lion

    2 years ago

    If Castro reups with Houston it’s a perfect match. He has Astro in his last name!!

    Reply

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