KC Royals sign former division rival utility player as he seeks MLB redemption

Just one day after announcing 22 international free agent signings — including three players in the Top 50 from MLB.com's Top 50 International Prospects list — the Kansas City Royals have made another move. On January 18, the Royals announced on social media that they had signed utility man Harold Castro to a minor league deal, and confirmed that the 31-year-old has received an invite to spring training.

Castro's new contract with the Royals organization marks his return to baseball in the United States, with the infielder/outfielder having spent the 2024 season in the Mexican League after recording career-worst stats the year prior with the Colorado Rockies. Now looking to earn a spot on the Royals' 40-man roster and subsequently redeem himself in MLB, the former Detroit Tigers utility man is going into spring training with a lot to prove.

Harold Castro has joined KC Royals organization on minor league deal

The Tigers signed then-16-year-old Castro to their organization in 2010, and after spending 2011 and 2012 with the club's Venezuelan summer league team, he worked his way up through the minors until finally making his MLB debut on September 23, 2018. At the end of the 2018 season, Castro was was outrighted back to Triple-A and subsequently elected free agency, but less than a week later, he re-signed to the Tigers on a minor league contract.

From 2018-2022 with Detroit, Castro had a total of 1215 plate appearances across 351 major league games, slashing .284/.309/.377 with 15 home runs and 125 RBI. He was non-tendered at the end of the 2022 season, and went on to sign a minor league deal with the Rockies for 2023, where the left-handed hitter was promptly promoted to the major league roster.

In 2023 with the Rockies — his most recent season in MLB — Castro posted a career-worst .252/.275/.314 line in 270 plate appearances, hitting just 1 home run and 31 RBI. He was outrighted to Triple-A at the end of the season, but rejected the assignment to become a free agent. On February 8, 2024, Castro signed with the Toros de Tijuana of the Mexican League, and last year, he hit an impressive .320/.366/.447 with 6 home runs and 30 RBI in 363 plate appearances.

Now coming off an impressive offseason playing in the Venezuelan Winter League, Castro is looking to redeem himself in MLB, and his minor league deal with the Royals is the first step.

Going into spring training in less than a month, Castro will go head-to-head with recently-acquired Cavan Biggio for a utility role on the major league squad. Both are left-handed hitters with experience across multiple roles — Castro has played at every position besides catcher, while Biggio has played first base, second, third, and both corner outfield positions during his career — so could offer crucial bench support in 2025. It's also not out of the question for Castro or Biggio to step into a starting position in the outfield, which is still in dire need of offensive bolstering. If third baseman Maikel Garcia doesn't improve his output at the plate, the hot corner could be available for a platoon situation, as well.

Castro has everything to gain at spring training, as does Biggio. The Royals' bench role just became a position battle to watch.