According to the transaction page on Cubs.com , the team signed free agent pitcher Yeiper Castillo to a minor league contract. The 24-year old right-hander reportedly signed a minor league deal earlier in the off-season with the Oakland A’s. MLB.com has the Cubs listed as Castillo’s parent club on his minor league page and he is listed on the Smokies’ roster.
Yeiper Castillo posted a 8-8 record last season in 28 games, 22 starts, over two levels of the Red Sox’s system with a 3.60 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. In 137 2/3 innings, Castillo struck out 119, walked 62 and allowed 117 hits.
The Red Sox signed Yeiper Castillo as an international free agent in 2005. The 6-foot-3, 185-pound right hander missed the 2011 season recovering from shoulder surgery.
Yeiper Castillo features a fastball, curveball and changeup and pitches from a ¾ arm slot with quick downward snap motion. Castillo’s fastball sits in the low 90s (90-92 mph) and can hit 94 mph. Castillo has had a tendency in the past of leaving balls up in the zone which allows for hard contact. Castillo’s curveball is in the low 70s with an inconsistent break. His changeup is considered his outpitch and he throws it in the 82-84 mph range with good deception.
Yeiper Castillo’s Page on Baseball-Reference
Yeiper Castillo has not pitched above the High-A level but will pitch the 2013 season at only 24 years old. It appears Castillo will start the season at the Double-A level based on him being added to the official roster of the Tennessee Smokies.