Diego A. Castillo

Castillo made his big-league debut in 2022 and spent the majority of the season in Pittsburgh. At first glance, his 26.5 percent strikeout rate and .206 batting average suggest he was just another of the mediocre or worse options that the Pirates trotted out during the campaign. However, there's come intrigue with a deeper dive. As a prospect, Castillo was known for his hit tool and rarely struck out at clips higher than 15 percent while working his way through the minors. That number spiked in his first taste of the majors, but so did his potential to hit for power thanks to a 9.9 percent barrel rate and 109.6 mph max exit velocity. Assuming he can bring his strikeout rate back down to levels he showed while climbing through the Yankees' minor-league system, there's the potential of a player who can hit for both a solid average and solid power. Castillo was designated for assignment by Pittsburgh in December and subsequently traded to Arizona, where he could open 2023 in a utility role.

Castillo was shipped to Pittsburgh along with Hoy Park in the deadline deal that sent Clay Holmes to the Yankees. The trade made sense for both sides, as the Yankees had much more need of a good reliever than the Pirates did, and Castillo and Park were blocked in New York, while Pittsburgh has plenty of at-bats to dole out at almost every position. Castillo was added to the 40-man roster this offseason as Rule 5 draft protection and should spend a good chunk of the year in the majors. He showed a well-rounded skill set across Double-A and Triple-A, hitting .278/.355/.487 with 19 home runs, nine steals, a 12.7 K% and a 10.0 BB% in 440 PA. Castillo has 50-grade power and speed, but if his excellent approach and contact ability can carry over in the majors, he could hit enough to be an everyday player who moves around the infield. He played almost evenly at shortstop, second base and third base last season.