Rockies Sign Diego Castillo To Minors Deal
The Rockies have signed right-hander Diego Castillo to a minor league contract, according to Aram Leighton of Just Baseball Media. The pact includes an invitation for Castillo (who turns 31 next month) to attend Colorado’s big league spring camp.
Castillo is best known for his five-year run as a workhorse in the Rays’ and Mariners’ bullpens from 2018-22, as the righty posted a 3.12 ERA, 28.1% strikeout rate, 50.7% grounder rate, and 8.9% walk rate over 259 2/3 innings and 250 appearances in that span. Unfortunately, he got off to a very rough start in his first eight games (and 8 2/3 innings) in 2023, leading the Mariners to outright him off their 40-man roster at the start of May. Castillo spent the remainder of the season at Triple-A, then elected free agency at season’s end.
The Rangers signed Castillo to a minor league deal last winter and released him near the end of Spring Training, with the Twins then quickly adding him on another minors contract. Castillo’s season in Minnesota saw him twice designated for assignment and outrighted off the 40-man roster, and he re-signed another minor league deal with the Twins after opting for free agency after that initial outright at midseason. All of this movement resulted in another season of pretty minimal MLB playing time, as Castillo appeared in 10 games with the Twins and posted a 2.70 ERA in 10 innings.
Control is the biggest issue behind Castillo’s decline, as his walk rate has shot up to 14.92% over 84 1/3 innings of Triple-A ball over the last two seasons, and 17.9% in his brief MLB sample size of 18 2/3 innings. A velocity drop may have also been partially responsible for Castillo’s struggles in 2023 specifically, though his fastball ticked upwards from 93.8mph in 2023 to 95.9 mph in 2024.
Castillo’s prime years are recent enough that it makes sense that teams would still want to take a flier on the veteran righty. For the Rockies in particular, his ability to keep the ball on the ground could be useful in the thin air of Coors Field, if Castillo can earn himself a shot on Colorado’s active roster.
Padres Sign Jose Espada To Minor League Contract
The Padres signed right-hander Jose Espada to a minor league deal earlier this month, as first reported by the Mad Friars website. It’s a reunion between the two sides, as the 27-year-old Espada pitched for San Diego during the 2022-23 seasons before joining the Yakult Swallows last offseason.
The move to Japan wasn’t as much of a showcase as Espada had hoped, as he posted a 5.00 ERA over 27 relief innings for the Swallows. His strikeout rate plummeted to just 13.56%, in a rather stark dropoff from the 26.59K% he posted over 374 career innings in the minor leagues. While his numbers with the Swallows’ minor league team were much better, Espada had already displayed plenty of quality in the affiliated minors, including a 2.79 ERA in 19 1/3 innings with the Padres’ Triple-A affiliate in 2023.
Impressive numbers at both the Double-A and Triple-A levels allowed Espada to make his MLB debut in 2023, in the form of a single cup-of-coffee outing. Espada recorded two strikeouts and two walks in a scoreless inning of mop-up work in the Padres’ 12-2 rout of the Cardinals on September 24, 2023. That brief outing was the high point of a pro career that began as a fifth-round pick for the Blue Jays in the 2015 draft, and Espada also had stints in the Red Sox farm system and in independent ball as well as his time with the Padres and Swallows.
Espada has had issues with his control but has long been able to miss bats, making his diminished strikeout numbers in NPB all the more puzzling. A return to the familiar environment of Triple-A El Paso might help him get back on track, while from the Padres’ perspective, they’ll add a known quantity to their list of bullpen depth arms.
CPBL’s Rakuten Monkeys Sign Jonathan Bermudez
The Rakuten Monkeys of the Chinese Professional Baseball League have signed left-hander Jonathan Bermudez, according to the CPBL Stats X account. The 29-year-old Bermudez elected minor league free agency at the end of the 2024 season.
A 23rd-round pick for the Astros in the 2018 draft, Bermudez spent parts of his first four pro seasons in Houston’s farm system before the Giants claimed him off waivers in August 2022. He was on Puerto Rico’s roster for the World Baseball Classic in March 2023, but that same month saw the Giants release the southpaw. Bermudez caught on with the Marlins on a minors deal a few weeks later and had been with Miami until he chose free agency this past October.
This time with the Marlins resulted in Bermudez’s Major League debut, as he posted an 8.10 ERA over three appearances and 6 2/3 innings this season. One of the many pitchers cycled on and off Miami’s active roster this season, Bermudez was twice designated for assignment and then outrighted off the Marlins’ 40-man in August and September.
The southpaw posted solid numbers throughout most of his minor-league career but seemed to hit a wall at Triple-A, posting a 7.01 ERA over 140 innings at the top farm level. Bermudez’s walk and strikeout totals have trended in the wrong direction at Triple-A, and home runs were a particular issue for him during the 2022 season in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.
Bermudez has started 85 of his 122 career minor league games, and seems likely to assume a starting role in the Monkeys’ rotation. Rather than battle for a minor league contract with North American moves, signing with the CPBL allows Bermudez to lock in some guaranteed money and perhaps provide a fresh start to his career.
Red Sox Acquire Jovani Moran From Twins For Mickey Gasper
The Red Sox and Twins have lined up on a Christmas Eve trade that will see left-hander Jovani Moran head to Boston in exchange for catcher/first baseman Mickey Gasper. Hunter Noll of Beyond The Monster was the first to report the deal, and both teams have officially announced the trade.
Moran underwent Tommy John surgery last offseason, leading to the Twins to non-tender him before re-signing the southpaw to another minor league deal. Moran naturally didn’t pitch at all in 2024 while rehabbing, and he’ll now look to return to the mound in Boston, as the 27-year-old is changing organizations for the first time in his career.
A seventh-round pick for the Twins in the 2015 draft, Moran also missed full minor league seasons in 2016 (due to injury) and in 2020 (the pandemic-canceled season). Moran finally made his MLB debut in the form of eight innings for the Twins in 2021, and he then seemingly broke out with a 2.21 ERA over 40 2/3 relief innings for Minnesota in 2022. Moran supported that strong ERA with a 32.9% strikeout rate and 48.9% grounder rate, yet both his peripherals and his bottom-line results went backwards the next year.
Moran had a 5.31 ERA, 41.9% grounder rate, and 26.1% strikeout rate in 42 1/3 frames in 2023, and after being optioned to Triple-A at the start of his August, his season was prematurely ended by a forearm strain in September that led to his eventual TJ surgery.
Despite the lack of a big fastball, Moran’s ability to miss bats and his knack for inducing grounders has helped him achieve success in the minors and (in limited fashion) at the big league level. Control is his biggest question mark, as Moran has a 13.5% walk rate over his 91 career MLB innings and a 12.36BB% in 257 2/3 innings of minor league ball.
Moran joins Aroldis Chapman and Justin Wilson as left-handed additions to the Red Sox bullpen mix this offseason, though Moran is more of a depth option at this point depending on his health and his form after the long layoff. While he probably won’t be ready for the Opening Day roster, some time in the minors might help Moran fully recover and get some innings under his belt before the Red Sox consider him for any possible role in their big league bullpen.
The Athletic’s Aaron Gleeman writes that Moran received some attention from teams heading into the Rule 5 Draft, and in fact it was Gasper who came to the Red Sox from the Yankees organization in the minor league version of the 2023 Rule R5. The selection resulted in Gasper’s first taste of big league action, though he didn’t record a hit in his 23 plate appearances over 13 games for the Sox this season.
Gasper played first and second base during his brief time in the Show, but the majority of his career has come behind the plate. Gasper’s ability to both catch and play other positions (primarily first and second, with a handful of games as a third baseman and left fielder) adds to his versatility, not to mention his switch-hitting bat. This creates a possible opening for Gasper to win a bench job in Minnesota, as a third catcher and general utilityman behind the Twins’ catching tandem of Ryan Jeffers and Christian Vazquez. It remains to be seen if the Twins will be able to trade Vazquez and get any of his contract off the books, yet if so, Gasper could be a candidate as Jeffers’ backup.
Gasper was a 27th-round pick for the Yankees in the 2018 draft, but he carved a path for himself through New York’s farm system with some strong numbers at every step of the minor league ladder. Over an even 1600 minor league PA, Gasper has hit .275/.392/.449 with 48 homers, and those numbers include nine home runs and a .317/.422/.498 slash line in 282 PA at the Triple-A level.
Giants Re-Sign Raymond Burgos To Minors Contract
The Giants signed Raymond Burgos to a new minor league contract earlier this month, as per the left-hander’s MLB.com profile page. Burgos elected minor league free agency after the season, but he’ll now return for what will be his third season in San Francisco’s organization.
An 18th-round pick for Cleveland in the 2016 draft, Burgos didn’t make his pro debut until 2018 due to Tommy John surgery. He entered minor league free agency after the 2022 campaign and caught on with the Giants for the first time that winter. The Giants parted ways with the southpaw last fall and Burgos caught on with a Mexican League team, only to rejoin the Giants on a new minors deal last April.
This reunion led to Burgos’ first and only appearance at the big league level. The 26-year-old left-hander allowed a run on three hits in his lone inning of relief work in San Francisco’s 5-4 win over the Cubs. Soon after that debut appearance, the Giants designated Burgos for assignment and then outrighted him off their 40-man roster.
Working mostly as a reliever during his career in the minors, Burgos has posted solid numbers, including a 3.38 ERA, 22% strikeout rate, 7.5% walk rate in 48 Triple-A innings. Burgos’ lack of standout strikeout ability could be hampering his path to the bigs, but he has been consistently effective at retiring same-sided batters. Taylor Rogers and Erik Miller are slated to be the top left-handers out of the Giants’ bullpen, and it makes sense that the team would add to this depth (for at least the Triple-A level) with a known quantity in Burgos.
Yankees Sign Jonathan Loáisiga
The Yankees reunited with Jonathan Loáisiga on a one-year deal with a 2026 club option. Loáisiga, an ISE Baseball client, is reportedly guaranteed $5MM. He’ll receive a $500K signing bonus and a $4.5MM salary with a $5MM club option for 2026. The deal contains bonuses that could push the value of the option to $5.5MM. Loáisiga is reportedly hoping to be back on the mound by late April after undergoing an internal brace surgery this past spring.
Loáisiga, 30, began his professional career with the Giants, signing as an international free agent in 2012. Unfortunately, he struggled with injuries, and the Giants released him partway through the 2015 season. The Yankees scooped him up in 2016, but it wasn’t long before his injury troubles came back. He suffered a torn UCL, and Tommy John surgery kept him off the field until June 2017. Yet, he was sensational upon his return, pitching to a 1.38 ERA and 2.17 FIP in 32.2 innings between Rookie Ball and Low-A. It was enough for MLB Pipeline, FanGraphs, and Baseball America to rank him among the top 25 prospects in New York’s farm system entering 2018. After another strong showing that year, he shot up to the no. 2 spot on all three lists.
Success eluded Loáisiga at the big league level over his first three seasons from 2018-20. It didn’t help that various injuries plagued him during that time, most notably a shoulder strain in 2019. However, things changed when the righty moved into a full-time relief role in 2021. He continued to deal with shoulder problems (he spent most of September on the IL), but when he was on the field, he was one of the best relievers in the sport. Loáisiga pitched to a 2.17 ERA and 3.01 SIERA over 70 2/3 innings. His sinker, which was suddenly touching triple-digits, became his new primary pitch, and he paired it with a new-look curveball that was practically unhittable. Meanwhile, his changeup was his strongest weapon against opposite-handed hitters, and it helped him post almost equally impressive numbers against righties and lefties alike.
Sadly, Loáisiga has yet to pitch a full season since his 2021 breakout. His shoulder gave him trouble once again in 2022, while his elbow problems returned the following season. He had surgery to address bone spurs in his elbow in April 2023 and internal brace surgery to repair a torn UCL in April 2024. He has only pitched 69 2/3 innings over the past three years, putting up a 3.62 ERA and 3.91 SIERA. Yet, he still has plenty of promise in his powerful right arm. He averaged 98 mph on his sinker over three appearances this past April, and the handful of curveballs he threw still looked filthy. That explains why several teams expressed interest in signing him this winter, including the Padres, Rangers, Mets, and Blue Jays.
It’s also a promising sign that the team that knows him (and his injury history) best is the team that ultimately re-signed him. Unlike some of Loáisiga’s other suitors (namely the Padres and Rangers), the Yankees don’t need to hunt for bargains or bet on buy-low free agent targets. They just signed Max Fried to a massive eight-year deal, and they’re not done looking for upgrades as they try to replace Juan Soto in the aggregate. They wouldn’t have signed Loáisiga if they didn’t think he could be a valuable contributor to their bullpen.
The Yankees lost several relievers to free agency this offseason, including Clay Holmes, Tommy Kahnle, and Tim Hill. Thus, Loáisiga will slot into a ‘pen that lacks high-leverage arms after Luke Weaver and Ian Hamilton. General manager Brian Cashman will presumably remain active in the market for relievers; the Yankees were linked to All-Star closer Carlos Estévez earlier this offseason, while reunions with Kahnle and Hill could also be in the cards.
Levi Luna first reported the Yankees and Loaisiga were nearing agreement. ESPN’s Jorge Castillo confirmed an agreement on a one-year deal with a club option. The New York Post’s Jon Heyman reported the finances.
Mariners Sign Jacob Nottingham To Minor League Deal
The Mariners signed catcher Jacob Nottingham to a minor league contract earlier this month, according to his transaction log on MLB.com. This will be his fourth stint with the organization.
Nottingham is a true journeyman, having spent time in seven different MLB organizations throughout a professional career that spans more than a decade. He was drafted by the Astros, who traded him to the Athletics two years later as part of a package for starter Scott Kazmir. The following offseason, the A’s flipped him to the Brewers as part of the return for slugger Khris Davis.
It was with Milwaukee that Nottingham made his MLB debut. He played a handful of games for the Brewers every year between 2018-21, producing a respectable .770 OPS and 103 wRC+ in 99 trips to the plate. His seven home runs and .273 isolated power were particularly impressive, especially for a catcher. On the other side of the ball, he appeared in 36 games behind the dish, compiling 2 Defensive Runs Saved and a +2 Fielding Run Value. Despite the tiny sample size, those defensive numbers were encouraging. Nottingham was always considered a bat-first catching prospect with serious questions about his defense behind the dish.
The backstop became a Mariner in April 2021, although his first stint with the club was short-lived. Seattle claimed Nottingham off of waivers on April 28 only to designate him for assignment and trade him back to Milwaukee on May 2. However, the M’s claimed him again a couple of weeks later, and this time, he stuck around in the organization for the rest of the season. He appeared in 10 games with the Mariners, though he only appeared as a first baseman, designated hitter, and pinch hitter – never as a catcher. Unfortunately, Nottingham performed poorly, going 3-for-26 with 12 strikeouts. He spent most of the rest of the 2021 season on the injured list at Triple-A.
Nottingham has not made it back to the majors since 2021. From 2022-23, he played in the minors with the Orioles, Mariners, Giants, and Nationals, putting up a .745 OPS and a 91 wRC+. He then spent the 2024 campaign playing in the Mexican League. He will now return to affiliated ball, re-joining an organization that clearly likes what he brings to the table. In his age-30 season, Nottingham can provide catching depth for Seattle behind Cal Raleigh, Mitch Garver, Nick Raposo, and top prospect Harry Ford. The Mariners are known to be seeking a right-handed bat this winter, and Nottingham offers depth in that area as well.
Braves Sign Enyel De Los Santos To Minor League Deal
Earlier this month, the Braves signed reliever Enyel De Los Santos to a minor league deal, according to his transaction log on MLB.com. The right-hander was non-tendered by the White Sox earlier this offseason.
De Los Santos struggled through his first three MLB seasons with the Phillies and Pirates before breaking out with the Guardians in 2022. He went 5-0 over 50 games, pitching to a 3.04 ERA and a 2.98 SIERA. He earned his first career save that summer and made his postseason debut that fall. The righty took on a bigger role in Cleveland’s bullpen the following season, pitching in 70 games (65 2/3 innings) and often entering in higher-leverage spots than he had the year before. His strikeout rate dropped, his walk rate climbed, and his overall numbers weren’t quite as impressive (3.29 ERA, 4.06 SIERA). Still, it was a solid season and another step for De Los Santos toward establishing himself as a reliable reliever.
During the 2023-24 offseason, the Guardians dealt De Los Santos to the Padres in exchange for Scott Barlow. It was a slightly surprising move for the Guardians, who are typically the ones trading veteran pitchers on expiring contracts for younger, cheaper arms, not the other way around. Ultimately, the trade didn’t work out on either side. Cleveland released Barlow in September amid a rough second half. Meanwhile, De Los Santos ended up pitching for three different teams and struggled in various ways with all of them. After a disappointing start with the Padres, he found himself headed to the Yankees ahead of the trade deadline. New York designated him for assignment a few weeks later, and he finished the season with the White Sox. Overall, he put up a 5.20 ERA in 64 innings of work, although his 3.86 SIERA looks much more promising.
There is no doubt the 2024 campaign was rough for De Los Santos. However, there is still plenty to like about his arm. For one thing, he’s got youth on his side; he’ll turn 29 tomorrow on Christmas Day. Moreover, he has never gone on the injured list. As for his production, from 2022-23, he pitched 119 innings with a 3.18 ERA and 3.57 SIERA. That kind of performance in the middle innings would improve every contending team’s bullpen. What’s more, De Los Santos had strong underlying numbers over his first 44 games with San Diego before he was traded. His strikeout and walk rates were up at their 2022 levels, and his mediocre 4.46 ERA was more than a full run higher than his sterling 3.21 SIERA. His numbers took a turn for the ugly after the trade deadline, but that’s a relatively small sample size to work with. There is little reason to worry that the version of De Los Santos who can be a durable, high-strikeout pitcher has disappeared for good.
So, the Braves are betting on that upside by signing De Los Santos to a minor league deal and presumably inviting the righty to big league camp. Atlanta had one of the best bullpens in the league in 2024, but there are still a few spots at the back end that should be up for grabs this spring.
Rays Sign Coco Montes To Minor League Deal
The Rays have agreed to a minor league contract with infielder Coco Montes, reports Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. The deal comes with an invitation to spring training. Montes last played for the Yomiuri Giants of NPB. He is a client of O’Connell Sports Management.
Selected by the Rockies late in the 2018 draft, Montes worked his way up through Colorado’s farm system. Though he was never a highly-rated prospect, he produced above-average offensive numbers every season in the minors while splitting his time between second base, third base, and shortstop. Amidst a strong 2023 season at Triple-A Albuquerque (.317/.400/.550, 128 wRC+), Montes earned his first promotion to the majors. However, his minor league success failed to translate to the MLB level. He went 7-for-38 (.184) with a 38 wRC+. To add insult to injury, he managed to accumulate -3 Outs Above Average in a minuscule 93-inning sample size at second base. He was designated for assignment and outrighted to Triple-A in September.
Montes earned an invitation to big league spring training in 2024, but he failed to make the team out of camp. Undeterred, he continued hitting well at Triple-A in 2024. In fact, it was arguably the best season of his career. In 297 trips to the plate, he slashed .335/.414/.551, good for a 140 wRC+. Yet, the Rockies never gave him another chance to test his righty bat in Colorado. Rather, they granted him his release in June, allowing him to sign with the Yomiuri Giants in Japan.
In 46 games with the Giants, Montes slashed .272/.308/.391 with a .699 OPS. That might not seem as impressive as his Triple-A slash lines, but keep in mind that he was playing in a completely different offensive environment. Indeed, Montes outperformed the Central League averages in all three triple-slash categories. His 13.2% strikeout rate was also much better than the 18.8% league average. That low strikeout rate helped him produce above-average offensive numbers despite drawing just seven walks and hitting only one home run.
Now entering his age-28 season, Montes will look to make his way back to MLB with the Rays. His defensive versatility is his main asset; Topkin suggests he could cover left field in addition to playing all around the infield. If the Rays can help him translate some of his offensive success from Triple-A and NPB to the majors, even better.
Topkin also points out that Montes will have opportunities to opt out of his contract if he does not make the big league roster. In addition, he will have the choice to elect free agency at the end of the 2025 season.
Rangers Sign Patrick Murphy To Minor League Deal
The Rangers have signed right-handed pitcher Patrick Murphy to a minor league contract, the team announced. The deal comes with an invitation to spring training. Murphy last appeared in the majors in 2022.
Over parts of three seasons with the Blue Jays and Nationals from 2020-22, Murphy pitched 39 2/3 innings across 35 games. He put up a 4.76 ERA and 4.31 SIERA, thanks in large part to a 48.0% groundball rate that helped him limit opposing batters to just three home runs. However, that wasn’t enough to keep either Toronto or Washington interested in having him around for long. The Blue Jays, who drafted the righty in 2013, designated him for assignment in August 2021. The Nationals, who had picked him up off of waivers, sent him outright to Triple-A in April 2022. He elected free agency at the end of the season.
Murphy spent the 2023 campaign in the Twins system. He pitched relatively well at Triple-A, putting up a 3.69 ERA and 4.40 FIP in a hybrid reliever/long reliever/starter role. Unfortunately, he failed to earn a promotion to the big league squad at any point during the year. However, his performance drew the attention of the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of NPB, who signed him to a one-year contract with a team option for 2025.
Murphy had a serviceable 2024 campaign for the Fighters. His 3.26 ERA in 38 2/3 innings looks impressive by MLB standards, but it’s important to keep in mind that the league-average ERA in the Pacific League this past year was 3.04. What’s more, his 9.5% walk rate was notably worse than the 7.3% league average. Murphy also made a handful of starts for the Fighters’ minor league affiliate in the Eastern League, pitching to a 4.29 ERA in 21 innings; the league average was 3.28.
At the end of the season, the Fighters chose not to exercise Murphy’s option for 2025. The Rangers, however, must have seen something to like in his arm. The team has made several additions to the big league bullpen this winter, and they might not be finished, but there still could be a couple of spots available for the taking this spring. Murphy won’t be a favorite to make the Opening Day roster, but his ability to pitch multiple innings in an outing means he is an appealing depth option for the team to stash at Triple-A.