The Mets have designated infielder Diego Castillo for assignment, tweets Will Sammon of the Athletic. That clears the necessary 40-man roster spot for left-hander Sean Manaea, whose two-year deal was finalized.
New York claimed Castillo off waivers from the Diamondbacks a week ago. It might prove an exceedingly brief stay in the organization for the right-handed hitter. The Mets will have to trade Castillo or put him on waivers themselves within the next seven days.
The 26-year-old spent almost all of last season in Triple-A. Arizona acquired Castillo in a minor trade with the Pirates over the 2022-23 offseason. They kept him on optional assignment to their top affiliate in Reno for all but one game. The 5’10” middle infielder had a solid year for the Aces, hitting .313/.431/.410 through 556 plate appearances. Castillo only hit three home runs in a very favorable offensive environment, but he demonstrated strong strike zone discipline. He walked at a massive 17.4% rate while striking out just 14.2% of the time.
It was a reversal from his 2022 MLB work in Pittsburgh. Castillo connected on 11 homers in 283 plate appearances (roughly half a season) as a rookie. He hit .206 with a meager .251 on-base percentage in that time, largely because of a poor strikeout and walk profile. Castillo walked less than 5% of the time while striking out in nearly 27% of his plate appearances as a big leaguer.
Castillo has been more of a hit-over-power player over an eight-year professional career. He’s a .276/.346/.373 hitter in the minors. He spent the bulk of that time in the Yankees system before being traded to Pittsburgh in what turned out to be a lopsided 2021 deal sending Clay Holmes to the Bronx.
Well, that was brief.
He never had the makings of a varsity athlete anyway.
Uncle Jun please!
I believe that Castillo is a hidden gem who just needs some consistent playing time in the majors. Good luck!
Old man yells at website
Davey and me are pals now you can’t talk about him like that!
Why not just call up Luke Ritter? He hit literally 27 Hrs last year in the minors with solid defense. Bad GM
He’s a career .228 hitter in the minors. He could get an opportunity at some point but this doesn’t reflect badly on a front office without a GM.
Why call him up to take a roster spot in the off season when they have complete control over him where he is? If there are injuries and he’s playing well, maybe he gets considered. Until then, he stays where he is. BTW he had a 31% strikeout rate with those HRs. .
Im deferring my trash can banging until Arson Judge walks the poop filled streets of SF to sign his deal…there, can we talk baseball now?
This site and comment section used to be enjoyable before it was hijacked by a bunch of horse dung being shoved down their throats by their preferred overloads. Whether that’s “left” or “right”, “liberal” or “conservative” or however you self-identify.
Make MLBTR great again!
When you’re not part of the solution, then you become part of the problem. See how that works?
Exactly what my man Franky Crocker “the chief rocker” used to say on WBLS. Can I get an amen?
look at this clown davey
you didnt own anybody … you were made a complete fool of and ran to mommy once everyone proved you were a fool that didnt know anything.
davey thee clown
yup the reply where you were saying that there was no pressure when you are leading for the last wild card spot with a month out. nope no pressure at all. especially when “everybody knew that there was like 10 other teams going for those last wild card spots.”
i mean me personally if my team is leading that last spot and 10 others are nipping at their heels i would think there is pressure to make the playoffs since its theirs to lose but that must not be the clowney gee way
you mean the tantrums of answering one comment with multiples replies .. isnt that the comment board equivalent of stamping both feet and holding you breath?
Davey Gee and Roll stop the nonsense and get a room. The sexual tension between you two is palpable
these types always seem to do better once they leave the mets (turner davis flores drury) atleast for short spurts but he didnt actually play for them so not sure if he will or not.
@davey
So do you want them to not post when a guy signs or gets traded? Since it’s not a rumor and a fact after all.
this site has always been about rumors and transactions you muppet
Mute button is working again!
Did someone say something?
Huh.
Try leaving the app and going back in. You’ll see the muted comments again. Unless they’ve fixed it in the last day or two.
An object lesson in how—especially for marginal guys a bit old for their league as real prospects go—fab walk rates don’t necessarily carry to the majors.
I forgot this guy existed, but I remember he played for the Pirates. I think he came over in a trade as a prospect and had an odd season with showing power but was god awful at everything else.
The KBO Sausage Sticks will pick him up.
The Mets will be Sans Diego.
Try to sneak two catchers through waivers and maybe one makes it through
I’m on it Chief
Goodbye Diego, we hardly knew ya