Castro will compete this spring for a spot in the Orioles' starting rotation, MASN's Roch Kubatko reports.
He hasn't thrown yet at the Orioles' pitching minicamp, but is preparing to make the transition from reliever to starter. Once a high-upside pitching prospect for the Blue Jays earlier this decade, Castro was moved to the bullpen to expedite his ascent to the majors, and was then shipped to Colorado in the Troy Tulowitzki deal. He joined the Orioles last season and logged a 3.53 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 38:28 K:BB in 66.1 innings, making 38 of his 39 appearances out of the bullpen. While he didn't record many strikeouts, his fastball and slider can be quality pitches, and his changeup is passable. The key for the 23-year-old righty will be holding up physically with an increased workload, as his 90.2 innings between Double-A and the majors last season marked a career high. The Orioles might have the worst starting pitching depth in the American League, so Castro has a good shot to win a rotation spot, making him a worthwhile target in deep formats.