Astros sign Jason Castro
The Houston Astros have signed 33 year old Catcher Jason Castro to a 1 year contract, as reported by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Castro, who spent 2010–2016 with Houston, now returns to the team that drafted him 10th overall in the 2008 MLB Draft. The deal is pending a physical.
Castro was originally drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 43rd round of the 2005 MLB Draft, but opted to attend Stanford instead. It turned out to be a wise choice as he was taken in the 1st round by Houston in 2008. He was a reliable Catcher during his time in Houston, even making an All-Star game in 2013, but was granted free agency after the 2016 season and then signed on with the Minnesota Twins. He spent 3 years in Minnesota, then spent last year with the San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Angels. Castro appeared in 27 games in 2020’s shortened season, posting a .188/.293/.375 slash line with 2 home runs and 9 RBI. Lifetime, Castro has a .230/.312/.390 line with 88 home runs and 301 RBI.
Castro is no longer a starter worthy Catcher, but will likely find himself in a backup role behind 34 year old Martin Maldonado. The Astros posted a 29–31 record last season, which was somehow good enough to make the playoffs before they were eliminated by eventual AL Champions the Tampa Bay Rays.
Originally published at https://www.independentsportswriters.com on January 21, 2021.