A Little More on the Cubs’ Rule 5 Pick, Lendy Castillo

Photo by Joe Wombaugh

Perusing around the Philadelphia Phillies blog world yesterday and this morning, you see passing mentions of the young pitcher the team lost in the Rule 5 Draft yesterday to the Chicago Cubs. The move garners no grousing; all teeth remain decidedly ungnashed. And that’s when the loss of Lendy Castillo is mentioned at all.

Does that mean the Cubs didn’t get themselves a gem yesterday? It wouldn’t be called a diamond in the rough if it were sitting on a desk. But, it certainly isn’t sexy, and Phillies fans aren’t worried about losing Castillo for good.

Or maybe they’re just not as obsessively tied to their middling prospects as we are.

So, who is this young pitcher, Lendy Castillo?

Well, for one thing, he’s only barely a pitcher. That is to say, he’s been pitching only two years. Plucked by the Phillies out of the Dominican Republic four years ago, Castillo was a promising young shortstop with a heck of an arm. The problem? He never put together the hitting thing.

He took immediately to pitching, putting up a 2.35 ERA in 65 innings between rookie ball and low A in 2010. He struck out 65, and walked just 26. In 2011, promoted to A-ball, Castillo moved to the bullpen, and again was great: 2.54 ERA, 1.152 WHIP, and 46 Ks in 46 innings (kid apparently has the uncanny ability to strike out exactly one batter per inning). Once again, he showed promising control, walking just 16. On paper, you can see why Jason McLeod and the Cubs’ scouting department would gravate toward Castillo.

And scouts like him in person, too. He’s got an easy delivery with a fastball that sits in the mid-90s and touches the upper-90s, and he’s got decent size at 6’1″. He’s not described as “polished,” but between the fastball and “the makings of a solid breaking ball,” Castillo’s upside is as a back-end reliever in the bigs.

If he were a Cubs prospect, I’d probably unreasonably hype him. But he’s not a prospect – he’s gotta go from the low minors to the bigs in 2012.

Rule 5 picks have to stick on the selecting team’s 25-man roster all year (including at least 90 days active (and then they all seem to come down with a mysterious arm ailment on day 91)), so the Cubs’ only hope to keep Castillo is to work him in limited duty out of the pen. He’ll have Spring Training to show what he can do, but it’s a long way from A-ball to the bigs, even for a reliever.

It’s easy to see why the Cubs were willing to take a chance on Castillo, but that’s all it is – a chance. A small one.

written by

Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

more cubs news

The Morel Foul Ball, Madrigal’s D, Busch Heads Up, Langford Respect, and Other Cubs Bullets

Ah, now the obligatory off-day after Opening Day. And an Opening Day loss no less, which always makes today that much better, right ... You could hang on so many things from the opening loss - one-run losses in heavily-scrutinized...

Justin Steele Injury Update: New Classification, MRI Tomorrow, IL Stint Coming? Steele and Counsell Speak

A significant update on Justin Steele came from Craig Counsell tonight after the Cubs extra innings loss in Texas. In short: Yes, a stint on the Injured List is likely for Justin Steele. But we still don't know how severe...

Enhanced Box Score: Rangers 4, Cubs 3 – March 28, 2024

It took exactly one day for the Cubs' ace to sustain what may be a significant injury, for their closer to blow a save, for the umpires to significantly impact the outcome of a critical play (this time in the...

OMG: Michael Busch Scored the 9th Inning, GO-AHEAD Run, Because He Just Never Stopped Running

That was absolutely incredible. To all the little kids out there, when your coach tells you to never stop running, this is why. Rookie Cubs 1B Michael Busch (the guy the Cubs got from the Dodgers this offseason to be...

Pre-Gamin’: Cubs at Rangers – Lineups, Pitching Matchup, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

*SHORT COURTS: It's Time To Bring The Home Court, Home! Looking for a unique way to celebrate your athlete or team before you peruse the FIRST CHICAGO CUBS LINEUP of the Year? Don't miss out! For just one more week...

The Cubs Are Among the Most Returning-y Teams

I am still mostly incapacitated at the moment, so apologies for the short shrift on such an otherwise blessed day. In between pokes and prods, I wanted to share a chart I saw that was pretty interesting, even if unsurprising:...

Maybe the Cubs Are the Favorites in the NL Central, After All?

ESPN was the first to throw some love the Cubs way this week, with an overwhelming majority of their writers, analysts, and editors picking the Chicago Cubs to win the NL Central in 2024. But the love doesn't end there....

The Season Begins, Love for Morel, Counsell’s Value, and Other Cubs Bullets

You know where you want to spend your Opening Day morning? The hospital! Suffice to say, this is not how I imagined getting HYPED for the Cubs' opener. I guess I'll just have to think about all the possible lineup...

Cubs vs Rangers: The First Series of the Year!

Cubs vs Rangers — THE REGULAR SEASON IS HERE! Wake up and rejoice. Later tonight, the Cubs will begin their march toward October Baseball against the (reigning World Series champion) Texas Rangers in Arlington. Justin Steele is getting the nod...

The 2024 Chicago Cubs for Dummies

Boom. We made it. The offseason is over, and the Cubs regular season - and those elevated expectations - begins tomorrow. But in case you slept through the winter, I'm here to catch you up on everything you need to...

Latest News

Marlins vs. Pirates Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Miami Marlins (0-1) are favorites (-132) on the moneyline when they square off against the Pittsburgh Pirates (1-0) Friday at 7:10 PM ET, live on BSFL.Miami's Andrew Jacob Puk and Pittsburgh's Martin Perez have been named the starters for...

Rays vs. Blue Jays Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

The Tampa Bay Rays (0-1) and Toronto Blue Jays (1-0) meet Friday at Tropicana Field, starting at 6:50 PM ET on SNET. The Rays are -122 moneyline favorites for the contest, however, the Blue Jays are favored against the spread...

Astros vs. Yankees Probable Starting Pitchers – March 29

The New York Yankees (1-0) visit the Houston Astros (0-1) for a road game on Friday at 8:10 PM ET.The Astros will look to Cristian Javier versus the Yankees and Carlos Rodon.Astros vs. Yankees Pitcher Matchup and Game InfoWhen: Friday,...

Bet $5 with FanDuel Promo Code, Win $200 Bonus Including NCAA Tournament

This weekend is packed with great sports action including the NCAA Tournament, MLB, and NBA for bettors. Check out the FanDuel promo code to score a $200 bonus if your first $5 bet wins! If you live in NC, you...

DraftKings Promo Code: Get $150 for $5 Bet on College Basketball and More Sports

This time of the year on the sports calendar is truly special with the MLB season starting, college basketball in full swing, and much more! Don't miss out on the chance to grab a bonus by using the latest DraftKings...

Rays vs. Blue Jays Probable Starting Pitchers – March 29

The Toronto Blue Jays (1-0) play on the road against the Tampa Bay Rays (0-1) at Tropicana Field. The game is set to start at 6:50 PM ET on Friday.The Rays will call on Aaron Civale versus the Blue Jays...

Marlins vs. Pirates Probable Starting Pitchers – March 29

The Pittsburgh Pirates (1-0) play on Friday in Miami against the Miami Marlins (0-1). First pitch is at 7:10 PM ET.The Marlins will call on Andrew Jacob Puk against the Pirates and Martin Perez.Marlins vs. Pirates Pitcher Matchup and Game...

Duke vs Houston Predictions and Odds: March Madness Best Bets

We have a couple of number-one seeds in March Madness action tonight including Houston (32-4) as the Cougars take on Duke (26-8). Check out the odds and more for Duke vs Houston which tips off tonight at 9:39 pm ET...

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Offseason Preview: 2024 Free Agents and Team Needs

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers enjoyed a successful 2023 season, capturing their third straight NFC South title and pushing the Detroit Lions in a thrilling Divisional Round matchup. This strong showing translates to a relatively stable roster with few glaring weaknesses...

NC State vs Marquette Predictions and Odds: March Madness Best Bets

March Madness matchups bring us a great battle tonight as 11-seed NC State battles 2-seed Marquette. Check out the odds, stats, and more for NC State vs Marquette which tips off at 7:09 pm ET tonight. NC State vs Marquette...

more cubs news