Morning Rundown: The Diego Castillo saga ends, for now, Amed Rosario signs with Rays

Recapping a former Pirates' wild off-season, a minor leaguer released, and Rays make a signing.

Photo Credit: WTM

The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired Diego Castillo from the New York Yankees in the Clay Holmes trade in 2021. He broke camp with the Pirates in 2022 and put up less-than-stellar numbers across 96 games played.

He was designated for assignment by the Pirates on December 20, 2022, and traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks on the 23rd in exchange for Scott Randall.

After spending the entire 2023 season in the Diamondbacks system, he was DFA a little more than a year after the Pirates did the same, with Castillo getting claimed by the Mets on January 5.

The Phillies claimed him on February 5 before being DFA about a week later on the 13th.

Three days after that, the Orioles claimed him before being DFA again on the 18th.

Finally, he cleared through waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk.

Quite the busy off-season for Castillo.

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According to the transaction log, the Pirates released infield AJ Graham on Sunday.

He was an 18th-round pick by the Pirates in 2021 out of high school. Graham played in just 15 games since being drafted, all at the FCL level, not showing any signs of getting adjusted.

Graham struggled at the plate with just three hits in 34 at-bats (.088).

Since the Domestic Reserve Limit dropped this year, some of the borderline players who probably would have gotten a second shot likely won’t.

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On Tuesday, the Tampa Bay Rays signed free agent Amed Rosario to a one-year deal. Rosario, 28, hit six home runs and drove in 58 runs while playing for the Cleveland Indians and Los Angeles Dodgers last year.

Rosario will join a crowded Rays infield that features veterans Yandy Diaz, Brandon Lowe, Taylor Walls, and Isaac Paredes, as well as some of their top prospects in Junior Caminero and Curtis Mead.