Landing Spots for Reds Ace Luis Castillo

With the Cincinnati Reds in last place and playing like the worst team in baseball there are no plans for the Reds to be competitive any time soon. The Reds have decided to go into full rebuild mode and plan for the future of the organization rather than the current state of their team. Although there are not many bright spots on the Reds, their ace Luis Castillo is one of their best players and can draw some good trade value for the Reds to boost their farm system. Castillo, who is under contract through the end of the 2023 season can help any team make a postseason push while also having an extra year of control. I do not see a reason for the Reds to keep Castillo apart of their organization and there is a good chance that he will get traded at or before the Trade Deadline. Here are some teams that I think could make a push for Luis Castillo.

1. Minnesota Twins

The Minnesota Twins are off to a hot start in a division that has stumbled out of the gate early on. With the White Sox being ravaged by injuries thus far the Twins have been able to take full advantage of their opportunities. The Twins, who only have two division titles in the last ten years are in a perfect position to make the push for a postseason berth in 2022. Although their starting rotation has been solid so far, the newly acquired Chris Paddack has recently found himself on the 60-day IL with elbow issues and it is reported that Tommy John surgery is not off the table. This is a huge blow to a rotation that needs depth behind their young phenom Joe Ryan and veteran starter Sonny Gray.  However, the Twins have the prospects to pull off a trade like this with the Reds if they decided to do so. Names that might be included in a deal like this would probably include Austin Martin or Jose Miranda. Martin, who was acquired from the Blue Jays in the deal that sent Jose Berrios to Toronto is the number 50 prospect on MLB’s top 100 prospects list. Martin has taken a step back in terms of development in his professional career thus far, but he still has a high floor and has one of the better bat to ball skills in all of minor league baseball. Miranda had a breakout year in 2021 across the two highest levels of minor league baseball and hit a career high .344 with 30 homeruns and 90 RBI’s. Miranda who is 23 years old could give the Reds a solid bat to build around for the foreseeable future if the Twins decide to make a push for Luis Castillo. This is a trade that the Minnesota Twins need to at least consider if they are serious about winning now.

2. Los Angeles Angels 

The Angels are also off to a hot start this year and are looking to win their first division title since 2014. While their starting rotation has looked solid thus far some depth could really put them over the edge and really make them a legitimate contender for the 2022 season. Shohei Ohtani is pitching very well so far with a 2.78 ERA and really solidifying himself as an ace in that rotation. However, past Ohtani there are some legitimate questions about this rotation. Noah Syndergaard who was acquired this offseason got shelled in his last start and did not even go a full inning. Also, injury concerns are a problem for Syndergaard since he did not pitch for two years before this season, and I do not think that the Angels should count on him to stay healthy for the entirety of the 2022 campaign. The 22-year-old Reid Detmers has been a pleasant surprise so far for the halos and has already tossed a no-hitter this year. I think that we will see him take a step back as the season progresses, but he should be a solid part of this rotation as they make a much-needed push for the postseason. The problem is that the Angels have a very weak farm system, and it would be difficult to pull off a trade for Luis Castillo. A possible offer would probably include Jo Adell who has struggled so far in his young career and needs a change of scenery. The Angels outfield seems to be set with Trout, Ward, and Marsh for the foreseeable future in Anaheim and Adell is the odd man out. The Reds who need help in the outfield would be a nice fit for Adell to rekindle his career and develop into the player that everyone thought he would become when he was in the Angels farm system. If the Angels want to take full advantage of Mike Trout’s prime years, they need to back him up with some solid starting pitching which they have failed to do for the last 8 years. This is the year that could change, and the Angels should try to make a move for Castillo or any pitcher on the trade block. 

3. San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants are in arguably the toughest division in baseball and will be in contention for a division title during the 2022 season. Their starting rotation is very solid right now with their top two pitchers being Logan Webb and Carlos Rodon. However, in a division like the NL West you can never have too much depth and that is what Castillo would provide them if they decided to make a trade for him. The Dodgers and Padres will be at competitive throughout the entire season and especially when Tatis comes back from injury we could see the Padres make a serious push for the best record in the division. The Giants have the firepower to pull off a deal like this with the Reds as well. They would never trade Marco Luciano but guys like Luis Matos and Kyle Harrison could be included in a deal if this trade were to happen. Luis Matos who is currently the 60^th overall prospect on the top 100 prospect list would give the Reds a solid outfield prospect to include in their future. I think a deal with Matos would be more likely than a deal that included Kyle Harrison because the Reds already have some solid pitching prospects and younger guys to fill their rotation in the next couple years. This is not a deal that the Giants must consider because they already have the pieces to make a postseason run this year, but it is something that I think the Giants should consider if they want to improve their already very good ballclub.  

There is a very good chance that the Reds decide to move on for Luis Castillo sooner or later and I believe that these three teams should make a push for the 29-year-old. The Reds, who are finally committing to a full on rebuild are looking to get a good return for their ace before his contract is finally up, we will see what teams are interested very soon.