Orioles sign catcher Welington Castillo to one-year contract

By Bobby Blanco

Orioles

December 16, 2016, 6:03am

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The Orioles today announced that they have signed free agent catcher Welington Castillo to a one-year contract with an option for 2018. With this move, the Orioles' 40-man major league roster is now full.

Castillo, 29, batted .264/.322/.423 (110-for-416) with 24 doubles, 14 home runs, 41 runs scored and 68 RBIs in 113 games with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2016, ranking third in RBIs and fourth in home runs among National League catchers. In 2016, Castillo caught 21-of-61 (34.4 percent) would-be basestealers, the fifth-highest total (21) in the National League. Over 509 career major league games, he has hit .255/.318/.416 with 96 doubles, one triple, 60 home runs, 171 runs scored and 230 RBIs. Since 2014, his 45 home runs as a catcher rank tied for sixth in the major leagues, including a National League-leading 18 home runs as a catcher in 2015.

Originally signed by the Chicago Cubs as a non-drafted free agent on Dec. 8, 2004, Castillo played parts of six seasons (2010-15) with the Cubs and has also spent time with the Seattle Mariners (2015) as well as the Diamondbacks (2015-16).