The White Sox shored up their catching depth significantly on Friday, signing free agent Welington Castillo to a two-year, $15 million contract with a club option for a third season.
The right-handed hitting Castillo batted .282/.323/.490 with 20 home runs over 365 plate appearances in 2017. He declined a $7 million option with the Orioles after the season, and will receive $7.25 million in both 2018 and 2019, while holding an $8-million option for 2020 with a $500,000 buyout.
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Left-handed hitting Omar Narvaez and right-handed hitting Kevan Smith, who shared catching duty evenly last season for the Sox, drop behind Castillo on the depth chart.
“Adding Welington benefits us both in the short and long term,” Sox general manager Rick Hahn said. “He has been one of the more productive catchers over the last several seasons, and we believe his presence will have a lasting positive effect on our younger pitchers and catchers as they continue their development at the major-league level.”
Cubs catcher Wellington Castillo keeps the ball in front of him as the throw to the plate keeps Mets runner Josh Thole at third base during the second inning of the Cubs-Mets game Wednesday May 25, 2011 at Wrigley Field. | Tom Cruze~Sun-Times
“This guy can really hit,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said of Castillo while appearing on 670 The Score Friday afternoon. “The ball comes off his bat hot … he has a great throwing arm.”
In 2015 Maddon managed Castillo, who played for the Cubs from 2010-15.
“I like him a lot,” Maddon said. “He’s going to hit a lot of bombs in that park [Guaranteed Rate Field].”
Castillo’s caught-stealing rate with the Orioles was 44.4 percent, which led the majors, with is 15 percent higher than his career average. Castillo’s framing skills have also improved, according to metrics data.
Castillo is a career .259 hitter with 107 doubles, 80 home runs and 283 RBI in 605 games over eight major-league seasons with the Cubs, Mariners (2015), Diamondbacks (2015-16) and Orioles (2017).
The Sox have also agreed to terms on a one-year, $1.05-million contract with right-hander Danny Farquhar, avoiding arbitration.
Farquhar, 30, posted a 4.20 ERA over 49 1/3 innings with 45 strikeouts over 52 appearances last season with the Rays and White Sox. He limited opponents to a .223 average.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/white-sox-sign-catcher-wellington-castillo/
The right-handed hitting Castillo batted .282/.323/.490 with 20 home runs over 365 plate appearances in 2017. He declined a $7 million option with the Orioles after the season, and will receive $7.25 million in both 2018 and 2019, while holding an $8-million option for 2020 with a $500,000 buyout.
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Left-handed hitting Omar Narvaez and right-handed hitting Kevan Smith, who shared catching duty evenly last season for the Sox, drop behind Castillo on the depth chart.
“Adding Welington benefits us both in the short and long term,” Sox general manager Rick Hahn said. “He has been one of the more productive catchers over the last several seasons, and we believe his presence will have a lasting positive effect on our younger pitchers and catchers as they continue their development at the major-league level.”
Cubs catcher Wellington Castillo keeps the ball in front of him as the throw to the plate keeps Mets runner Josh Thole at third base during the second inning of the Cubs-Mets game Wednesday May 25, 2011 at Wrigley Field. | Tom Cruze~Sun-Times
“This guy can really hit,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said of Castillo while appearing on 670 The Score Friday afternoon. “The ball comes off his bat hot … he has a great throwing arm.”
In 2015 Maddon managed Castillo, who played for the Cubs from 2010-15.
“I like him a lot,” Maddon said. “He’s going to hit a lot of bombs in that park [Guaranteed Rate Field].”
Castillo’s caught-stealing rate with the Orioles was 44.4 percent, which led the majors, with is 15 percent higher than his career average. Castillo’s framing skills have also improved, according to metrics data.
Castillo is a career .259 hitter with 107 doubles, 80 home runs and 283 RBI in 605 games over eight major-league seasons with the Cubs, Mariners (2015), Diamondbacks (2015-16) and Orioles (2017).
The Sox have also agreed to terms on a one-year, $1.05-million contract with right-hander Danny Farquhar, avoiding arbitration.
Farquhar, 30, posted a 4.20 ERA over 49 1/3 innings with 45 strikeouts over 52 appearances last season with the Rays and White Sox. He limited opponents to a .223 average.
https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/white-sox-sign-catcher-wellington-castillo/
