Last offseason the Los Angeles Dodgers took a chance on a right-handed pitcher named Fabio Castillo, who had spent almost a decade in the Minor Leagues and a year playing in Korea.
Castillo was signed to a Minor League contract with an invitation to Spring Training, in a move that paid dividends for the club and 28-year-old. Castillo overcame early adversity and tossed quality innings for Triple-A Oklahoma City.
After one start with OKC in April, Castillo was demoted to Double-A Tulsa where he went 0-1 with a 1.29 ERA in seven innings across three relief appearances.
He then got called back up, and in 22 games (16 starts) with Oklahoma City, went 4-8 with a 4.27 ERA, 85 strikeouts against 31 walks. Castillo had his contract purchased and was added to the Dodgers’ 40-man roster in June, only to immediately be optioned back to OKC.
Castillo entered this offseason as a free agent, and it appears he is headed back overseas as he has signed a contract with the Seibu Lions of the Pacific League in Japan, via Kazuto Yamazaki of Beyond the Box Score:
Seibu Lions have signed Neil Wagner, Fabio Castillo https://t.co/lvHSfTAr0H
— Kazuto Yamazaki (@Kazuto_Yamazaki) December 12, 2017
When Castillo joined Dodgers as a September call-up it marked the first time in his career he’d reached the big leagues. In his Major League debut, he struck out a pair and threw 1.1 scoreless innings against the San Diego Padres.
He struggled the following night, allowing two runs on three hits without retiring any of the four batters faced. The Dodgers designated Castillo for assignment on Sept. 6, in a corresponding move to calling up Walker Buehler from Oklahoma City.
Castillo cleared waivers and was sent outright to the Minors before becoming a free agent at the end of the season. If he finds success in Japan, Castillo could find his way back in a Major League organization a year from now if that’s what he desires.
