Last Saturday, the Chicago Cubs finally bit the bullet and designated Lendy Castillo for assignment to make room for Carlos Villanueva on the 40-man roster. Subsequently, the Cubs waived Castillo …
… and he cleared waivers as of today. Whew. So the Cubs don’t lose Castillo, their Rule 5 pick from last year, for whom they went to great lengths to keep through an ugly 2012 season. He was outrighted off the 40-man, and sent to Iowa, where he’s likely to start the year – possibly in the rotation.
You may resume your casual indifference about Castillo, but I’m glad the Cubs were able to hang onto the 23-year-old righty. He’s got a live arm, and definite upside, despite the rough 2012 season. Keep in mind, that was just his third season as a full-time pitcher, after being converted from the infield – and it was his first season above A-ball. He’s got a lot of room for development.
The Cubs’ 40-man roster still stands at 40, and that’s before Scott Hairston is officially added. In other words, another move is still on the horizon.