Baltimore Orioles: Miguel Castro looking good at minicamp

The Baltimore Orioles need pitchers in the rotation and there is one in-house option that the team is watching closely.

Miguel Castro is showing his skills at the Baltimore Orioles minicamp in Sarasota, Florida.

Not only is he looking good, but the team also learned that he has one more option for 2018. This is good news for Castro and the Orioles as it allows him to move back and forth between Triple-A and the Big Leagues.

Options are a good thing

For a young pitcher in the rotation, spending time in Triple-A can be a good way to build endurance without the pressure of the MLB season. He’s so young that it is important that he be able to return to an environment where he can learn, rather than be pressured to succeed 100% of the time.

In his short time in the MLB, he has pitched for three teams, the Orioles, the Colorado Rockies, and the Toronto Blue Jays. According to Jon Meoli with the Baltimore Sun, Castro was set to be a starting pitcher, but the Blue Jays moved him to the bullpen on Opening Day in 2015. This sudden move from Single-A to Toronto was too much for him and injuries plagued him in 2015 and 2016.

Playing it safe

Through an interpreter, Castro told Meoli:

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"“In the past, I’ve been through some injuries. I think last year, I was healthy and knew what I could do. I think I learned from that. I became better, got the opportunity. That’s the main thing. I’m still going to show what I can do.”"

Castro seems to recognize that the sky is the limit and if he wants to start in the rotation, he has to work hard for it. This is a sign that he has maturity beyond his 23 years. The fact that the team needs starting pitching is the driving factor behind Castro’s preparation.

Pitched well in long outings

The Orioles clearly had him in mind for starting work back in 2017. During the 2017 season, he had several long relief outings and as the season rolled on, he usually saw at least two innings of work. His longest outing was quite good when he pitched six innings against the Detroit Tigers on August 3. He gave up one hit, walked one batter, and struck out two after Chris Tillman fell apart in the first two innings. The offense was not able to recover from Tillman giving up seven runs that day.

Castro’s last outing was his first and only start of the season. On September 30, he pitched the first 3.1 innings, giving up three runs to the Tampa Bay Rays. He finished the season with a 3.53 ERA. If could replicate that ERA as a member of the starting rotation in 2018, Orioles fans would be more than pleased with him.

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Keep your eyes on Castro. He could become a vital part of the Orioles system in the up-coming spring. And, his new blond braids look good (maybe channeling a little Carlos Martinez hair mojo?).