The Twins announced on Wednesday that they have designated infielder Diego Castillo for assignment and optioned right-hander Ronny Henriquez to Triple-A St. Paul. These roster moves make way for reliever Brock Stewart, who has been activated from the 60-day injured list, and righty David Festa, who has been recalled from St. Paul.
Castillo, 26, appeared in four games with the Twins, going 2-for-6 with a double, two walks, and a strikeout in eight plate appearances. He has also had a solid season in the minors, hitting .274/.382/.403 in 296 plate appearances across the Triple-A affiliates of Baltimore and Minnesota. Castillo has shown consistent on-base ability in his Triple-A career, hitting .290/.402/.406 in 1,073 plate appearances. He has primarily played shortstop but also has experience at second base, third base, and all three outfield positions.
Despite his versatility and strong Triple-A performance, Castillo has not received much playing time in the majors. He debuted with the 2022 Pirates and had a career-high 283 plate appearances but hit just .206/.251/.382. In 2023, he had one plate appearance with the D-backs and eight with the Twins.
While Castillo might deserve a longer look, the Twins are deep in infield talent and likely couldn’t provide him with that opportunity. Even with injuries to several key players, Minnesota has capable replacements in Carlos Santana, Edouard Julien, All-Star Willi Castro, and top prospect Brooks Lee. Additionally, several injured players are expected to return soon, with Royce Lewis and Jose Miranda already beginning rehab assignments.
The Twins will either trade Castillo or place him on outright waivers within the next five days, with the waiver process potentially taking another 48 hours. Castillo should know his fate within the next week.
Stewart’s return is a significant boost for the Twins’ bullpen. The former Dodgers prospect has been outstanding since transitioning to a relief role, posting a 0.66 ERA with a 34.8% strikeout rate over 41 innings dating back to 2023. He will join a late-inning, high-leverage mix that includes Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, and Jorge Alcala.
Additionally, righty Justin Topa began a rehab assignment yesterday, providing another potential bullpen reinforcement. Topa, who has been out all season with a knee injury, posted a 2.61 ERA in 69 innings for the Mariners last season. The Twins acquired Topa in the offseason trade that sent Jorge Polanco to Seattle.
