Welington Castillo has signed with the Chicago White Sox after playing for the Baltimore Orioles last season. As for his overall fantasy value, it should remain relatively constant. He goes from one hitter-friendly park to another hitter-friendly park. While the White Sox will not be as good offensively as the Orioles, Castillo will likely hit higher in the lineup than he did in Baltimore, where he usually slotted seventh or eighth in the batting order. With the catcher position in the tank, a projection of 15 home runs and a .250 batting average makes him rosterable in all leagues.
Castillo’s signing does have some impact on the rest of the team. First, Omar Narvaez and Kevan Smith are going to see less time behind the plate. Neither one has any usable fantasy traits, though, so no loss of their diminished presence.
The White Sox pitchers may get a few more called strikes with Castillo calling the game. While he’s historically been a defensive liability behind the plate, he was just above average this past season in Baltimore. As for Narvaez and Smith, they were both near the league’s bottom. As a result, Castillo’s veteran presence might be able to help a young developing staff come into their own.