Yankees Reportedly Pursuing Reds Ace Luis Castillo
By Michael Luciano
If the Yankees have their heart set on acquiring a young, controllable starting pitcher, there aren't many available on the market today that are better than Cincinnati Reds starter Luis Castillo.
As the wait for Luis Severino to return from injury becomes longer and longer, the Yankees have put some feelers out on Castillo, who is under contract with the Reds until 2023. This would be something:
@yankees targeting Luis Castillo of Reds I'm hearing. 26, under control thru 2023, breakout year, it will take young talent plus to get him. They have that. Comes down to their evaluation and what else falls thru or doesn't.
— Chris Moore (@mooretosay) June 25, 2019
Another former Miami Marlin prospect who was traded for Dan Straily, Castillo has been a revelation for the pitching-starved Reds in his age-26 season, going 7-2 with a 2.56 ERA. While his 49 walks lead the National League, he is allowing an NL-best 5.7 hits per nine innings.
When you have a fastball that will touch 100, a nasty changeup and a deadly slider, it's no wonder why no one has been able to get make good contact against him this year.
Luis Castillo on the Yankees would be electric. pic.twitter.com/WSzvFgC4Eu
— Damon (@dlincoln95) June 25, 2019
Since Castillo is only 26 and won't hit the free agent market until 2024, it might take a Clint Frazier-sized haul of prospects in order to get the Reds to part with their budding ace. While losing Frazier and potentially a great young pitching prospect is sure to sting, acquiring a young starter with his stuff in the middle of a career year should be a no-brainer move for Yankees.
That is, if the Reds are willing to sell their first good starter since Johnny Cueto.