Track Record: It was a long, slow trek through the Blue Jays farm system for Castillo. His career started as a 17-year-old in 2016 and he finally made it to Toronto for nine games in 2022. The Venezuelan native was included as part of the package to acquire Whit Merrifield at the trade deadline, and he split the rest of the season with five games in Kansas City and seven games at Triple-A Omaha.

Scouting Report: Castillo isn't flashy. He's more of a yeoman capable of fulfilling various roles on a pitching staff. His 93-mph fastball plays up because of how well he locates it, and induces weak contact with armside run. A key to his development in 2022 was switching from a two-seamer to a four-seamer--which helped the rest of his pitches play up thanks to the different shape. Castillo's best secondary offering is an above-average, 87-88 mph changeup that he commands well. It is firm and lacks a lot of separation from the fastball, but the above-average vertical separation allows it to play solidly. Castillo's best bat-missing pitch is an 83-mph slider with short shape that has paired well with his fastball and changeup. While there's nothing plus in his repertoire, Castillo succeeds with his pitching smarts and by mixing and matching.

The Future: Castillo will head to spring training with his versatility giving him a leg up on a roster spot. Starting pitcher? Long reliever? Swingman? Castillo could fill any or all of these roles for the Royals depending on the team need.

Scouting Grades Fastball: 55. Slider: 50. Changeup: 55. Control: 50