The Cubs have designated catchers Erick Castillo and Tyler Payne for assignment, as relayed by Jordan Bastian of MLB.com (Twitter link). Additionally, Johneshwy Fargas, Tyler Ladendorf and Joe Biagini — each of whom were selected to the majors as COVID-19 replacements — have been removed from the 40-man roster and returned to Triple-A Iowa.
Castillo and Payne are both longtime organizational veterans who got late-season cameos with Willson Contreras dealing with a hip issue. Both 28-year-olds got their first big league calls in the last week of the regular season, with Castillo picking up a couple of hits. Neither player was regarded as a high-level prospect and neither has a strong offensive track record in the minors. It’s not surprising they were removed from the roster rather quickly, then, although both did at least get into an MLB game.
Both Castillo and Payne will go on waivers in the coming days. Should they pass through unclaimed, they’d each have the right to elect minor league free agency as players with seven-plus seasons of minor league experience. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see either player re-sign with the Cubs on a minors pact for 2022, as they’ve each only played in the Chicago organization throughout their pro careers.
Fargas, Ladendorf and Biagini are all soon to become minor league free agents themselves. That trio was brought up at the end of the year while the Cubs dealt with coronavirus spread in the clubhouse. Players selected as COVID replacements needn’t be passed through waivers to be removed from the 40-man, although they’ll all have the requisite minor league service time to test the open market this winter anyhow.
It’s hard to believe any of those five even managed to find their way onto their 40 man roster this year. Not hard to see why they were such a disappointment in 2021 if this was their depth.
I heard that only Contreras and Baez were trying hard.
Dogbone? Any truth to this?
I don’t know if this is true but Contreras said so.
What does everybody think?
There’s literally nobody in this comment section or any other comment section on the internet that would know this information. The only people that would know an answer to this are the players.
Lol. “I heard”. Classic PeteWard nonsense.
What a dumb comment. Yea, nobody was trying. Certainly not Bryant and Rizzo, who were in the last year of their contract. Certainly not Kimbrel. Certainly not all those young guys they brought in later – Schwindel, Ortega, etc. This has to be the dumbest comment i’ve ever read on here, and that is saying a lot.
Lol Pete. I think guys like Schwindel and Ortega and all the young, and older first time call ups were trying hard, most of them just weren’t good enough.
But for sometime now, there have been small stories and speculation that Contreras and Rizzo, let’s say, weren’t always on the same page. I’m not sure who was right or wrong.
Exactly.
The Cubs are a joke.
Are White Sox still around?
I think if its true, Contreras better sign somewhere else this off season. Marlins?
Contreras is still controllable by the Cubs so he cannot sign elsewhere unless the Cubs non-tender him which won’t happen. They could trade him though as he’s a valuable commodity.
Dorothy, I thinks he’s gone, trouble at home, if you catch my drift. Marlins looking for an experienced catcher, could be a good hookup, Marlins have great young pitchers who need an experienced catcher
Marlins better have a huge boatload of young pitchers, that they’d HAVE TO be willing to move to the Cubs for Willson. It would have to be a huge overpay on Miami’s part. Cubs have no appetite for trading Contreras. Nor should they.
I heard some talk that the reason Contreras got into Rizzo’s face in the dugout this season was Rizzo’s lack of effort. That’s what I heard. Can’t confirm. I agree with a previous poster. Only the players and certainly Manager Ross know the details.
I believe Rizzo could mop the floor with Willson.
These 5 guys will forever have their name etched into the record books. Most MLB players used in a season by one team. Well, they’ll have it for one year anyway. The way these teams manipulate the DL these days, this record will probably be broken next year.
I’m just flabbergasted that Steve Nebraska hasn’t commented on this article yet.
Ahahahahaha! Nebraska is in the bathroom, he asks that you please bear wit him.
Only because he can’t remember where he left the toilet paper roll
I was very happy for Castillo. He got a major league hit! He will probably return on a minor league deal to mentor Amaya at AAA and catch sometimes if Amaya plays 1B or DH a couple of times a week. If Amaya solidifies himself as a backup in Chicago or gets traded, then I could see Castillo become a coach in the Arizona complex.
Who?