Right-hander Luis F. Castillo has signed with the Mexican League’s Diablos Rojos De México, reports Francys Romero of BeisbolFR. The righty is represented by A & F Sports Agency.
Castillo, 31, is a journeyman depth starter. Last year, he briefly shared a roster with his namesake, the much more well known Luis Castillo. The lesser known Castillo began his big league career with three appearances for the Tigers in 2022.
He then went overseas for two years, pitching in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball. He was with the Chiba Lotte Marines in 2023 and the Orix Buffaloes in 2024. Over those two seasons, he tossed 143 1/3 innings with a 3.01 earned run average.
He returned to North America by signing a minor league deal with the Mariners ahead of the 2025 season. He was added to the roster in early April and made two starts, allowing six earned runs in seven innings. He was then optioned to the minors. In May, he was designated for assignment and flipped to the Orioles but spent most of the remainder of the season on the minor league injured list. He was outrighted off the 40-man in the summer and became a free agent at season’s end.
Once again, he is heading to another country for an opportunity. Most deals for guys heading to Mexico have clauses that allow them to depart if they get an offer from an affiliated club, so it’s possible that could happen with Castillo. In the meantime, he’ll face the challenge of pitching in one of the most hitter-friendly environments. The league-wide slash line in the Mexican League was .295/.378/.465 last year.
Photo courtesy of Stephen Brashear, Imagn Images
