The Kansas City Royals announced that they’ve signed Venezuelan infielder/outfielder Harold Castro to a minor league contract, with an invitation to Spring Training. The former MLB slugger has played in six seasons in the majors between the Detroit Tigers and Colorado Rockies from 2018-2023.
Castro, 31, was born in Caracas, Venezuela. He made his MLB debut with the Detroit Tigers in 2018. He would play with the Tigers until 2022, playing a majority of the infield, and also as an outfielder. In 351 games in a Tigers uniform, Castro hit for a .285 average, with 15 home runs and 125 RBIs. He would be released after the 2022 season.
He went on to sign a minor league contract with the Colorado Rockies for the 2023 season. Castro would play in 99 games with the Rockies, hitting a home run, 31 RBIs, only hitting for a .252 average. After he rejected his outright assignment to the Rockies Triple-A organization, Castro would be released by the Rockies. He would go unsigned by MLB teams, and in February 2024, Castro would sign with the Toros de Tijuana in Liga Mexicana de Beisbol (LMB).
Getting his first taste in professional baseball in Mexico, Castro hit for a .320 average, adding six home runs, 30 RBIs, while stealing three bases. The Toros de Tijuana finished in fourth in the Norte Division with a 52-40 record. As for this winter, Castro suited up with the Leones del Caracas, having the best winter season of his career. In 51 games with the Leones, Castro hit for a .332 average, hitting a career-high 15 home runs, and driving in 41 RBIs, with six stolen bases. Castro would finish tied second in home runs with Moises Gomez, and trailing behind Renato Nunez, who had sole possession of the most home runs in Venezuela this winter. Castro was awarded the Round Robin MVP Award, joining the Cardenales de Lara, where he hit .386, with three home runs and 14 RBIs in just 57 at-bats.
It will be intriguing to see how many at-bats Castro will receive during Spring Training, as he looks to work his way back onto a major league roster this season after a dominant winter season. The Royals are currently slated with Nick Loftin, Dairon Blanco and Nelson Velasquez on their bench, so it could be interesting to see whether Castro is able to land himself a role on the Royals bench for the start of the 2025 season.
