Diamondbacks sign LHP Jose Castillo to minor league deal

The Arizona Diamondbacks signed left-handed pitcher Jose Castillo to a minor league contract with an invitation to major league spring training, Triple-A Reno announced on Tuesday.

Castillo, 27, started his MLB career with a 3.28 ERA and 2.64 FIP in 37 games during the 2018 season with the San Diego Padres. He struck out 52 batters with 12 walks in 38.1 innings pitched. Castillo was 22 years old when he debuted.

Injuries took ahold of his career from there, as he started 2019 on the 60-day injured list with a left flexor strain. He came off the IL for one game before going right back on with a finger injury. A left lat strain caused him to miss the 60-game 2020 campaign, and Tommy John surgery held him out for 2021.

The southpaw has only pitched in three MLB games since his promising rookie year, and he recorded one out in 2023.

He spent most of last season in Triple-A, although he missed more than a month with a left shoulder strain.

Jose Castillo gets his first strikeout in the major leagues since August 8, 2019 pic.twitter.com/SCSRq6Lb0s

— Talking Friars (@TalkingFriars) August 24, 2022

Castillo had a 9.82 ERA in 18.1 innings for Triple-A El Paso, and the Padres designated him for assignment on July 20.

He finished the season in Triple-A Jacksonville, the Miami Marlins’ affiliate, where he produced a 5.59 ERA in 19.1 frames with 12.1 strikeouts per nine innings. All of his appearances were in relief.

Castillo joined Navegantes del Magallanes of the Venezuelan Winter League and has a 2.60 ERA in 17.1 innings with 19 punch outs.

The lefty works with a mid-90s fastball and a slider that had a 40.8% whiff rate when he was clicking in 2018.

The Diamondbacks have signed three players to minor league deals with invitations to major league spring training this offseason: Castillo, infielder Andrés Chaparro and right-handed pitcher Michel Otanez.

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