D-backs Sign Two Under the Radar Minor League Free Agents

This month, the D-backs have reportedly picked up slugging infielder Andres Chaparro and hard-throwing lefty Jose Castillo.

The Diamondbacks are wasting no time in trying to add minor league depth to their organization, as they've reportedly signed corner infielder Andrés Chaparro and left-hander José Castillo to minor league deals, with Castillo reportedly invited to big league Spring Training. Both players add minor league depth to weak spots in the organization, with corner infield and left-handed relief depth a major concern. 

Castillo, 27, had a fantastic debut season with the San Diego Padres in 2018. In his first 37 major league appearances he pitched to a 3.29 ERA, backed by excellent strikeout, walk, and home run rates. Instead of becoming a key cog in the San Diego bullpen, injuries have threatened to halt his career. At 6'6" 252 lbs. and possessing a 95 MPH 4-seam fastball, Castillo has a chance to earn an opportunity in the D-backs bullpen. While Arizona's bullpen faired better of late, left-handed relief is still a weakness in the organization. Joe Mantiply and Kyle Nelson fit the mold of low to medium leverage relievers while rookie Andrew Saalfrank is relatively unproven, adding depth to that area with a guy who offers a swing-and-miss profile helps. The one drawback is Castillo is out of options, so he'd have to be designated for assignment to be taken off the active roster, but if he pans out there are potential two, maybe three years of control if he starts the season in Triple-A. 

Chaparro, 24, signed with the New York Yankees out of Venezuela as a 16-year-old in 2015. After nine seasons in the organization, he elected to move on and see if he can latch onto an opportunity somewhere else. Chaparro adds minor league depth at a position where the D-backs are lacking, corner infielders that can hit for power. In the past three seasons, his home run totals have been 15, 20, and 25. In 2023, he hit .247 with 25 home runs, 89 RBI, and fairly solid strikeout and walk rates of 22% and 11%. However an increase in pop-ups resulted in his average and power numbers dipping, causing his overall offensive productivity to drop. As a change of scenery candidate with a fair amount of youth in his profile, he could potentially carve out a role in the future. His signing was confirmed by the D-backs on November 19th.