Jesus Castillo to represent Oakland in the Serie Del Caribe

Oakland's lone participant within the pinnacle event of Caribbean baseball, the Serie Del Caribe, in all likelihood shall be the 29 year old Tucson native and former 27th rounder by the Dodgers, Jesus Castillo. Castillo, who turns 30 on May 31st, is a right handed long relief bullpen asset inked by the Athletics last August out of the Mexican leagues. He was promptly flown to Midland where he navigated through 10 IP with a 7 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K line between six appearances, including a save which he successfully converted for the Rockhounds. Alberto Callaspo and Fernando Abad, as 40 man roster members, shall be likely prevented from representing their postseason and Venezuelan champion ballclub, the Navegantes de Magallanes. Additionally, Darwin Perez, the resigned MiLB FA who served as the backup pitch runner for the Navegantes (Yes, Magallanes had two pitch runners on their roster), is unlikely to attend with a NRI invitation to the Oakland MLB spring training camp. Callaspo is the only confirmed individual of the trio at this instant, but it seems as though Abad and Perez will follow suit at the moment. 

Callaspo completed his offseason slashing out to a .277/.400/.389 line (2 HR, 6 2Bs, 23 BB:17 K) through 145 appearances exclusively at DH/2B, with a lone mid-contest switch to third base due to a lineup tweak. Fernando Abad went 18 IP, 25 H, 7 R, 0 BB, 15 K through 17 appearances between the Toros Del Este and the Navegantes de Magallanes this winter. Darwin Perez made two postseason appearances for the Navegantes, with zero plate appearances. 

UPDATE (1/31): Alberto Callaspo has since been confirmed to continue onward with Magallanes and has reversed his claim to participate as their primary second baseman. Fernando Abad and Darwin Perez have predictably opted to remain sidelined this February. 

Additionally, Manaurys Correa and Andres Avila contributed to as Athletics organizational members this Carribean postseason. Correa, a recently inked MiLB FA, went 27 1/3 IP, 32 H, 15 R (4 HR), 11 BB, 5 K through six starts with the Tigres De Aragua and the Caribes de Anzoátegui. Avila, Castillo's fellow Mexican league bullpen mate, went 45 1/3 IP, 43 H, 13 R (3 HR), 13 BB, 36 K between 37 appearances exclusively with the Caneros de los Mochis. 

Castillo, who shall compete for a Sacramento bullpen post this spring, has had a revitalized offseason with Hermosillo, the Mexican League champions battling the Cuban, Puerto Rican, Dominican and Venezuelan representatives starting on February 1st. Despite the inability to generate swing-and-misses, Castillo has thrived upon his favorable groundball percentages and has exhibited some remarkable poise out of the stretch. The righty amassed a 42:10 K/BB in 51 1/3 IP and permitted a lone dinger in his summer performance in Mexico. As for this offseason, Castillo has fared decently as a fixture in Naranjeros' bullpen, usually immediately spelling their starter: 

Jesus Castillo Regular Season: 27 appearances (All relief), 37 IP, 33 H, 3 ER, 15 BB, 17

Jesus Castillo Postseason: 6 appearances, 5 IP, 12 H, 3 ER (1 HR), 3 BB, 3 K

Jesus Castillo MEX Championship: 4 appearances, 8 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K.

Cumulatively: 37 appearances, 50 IP, 50 H, 6 ER (1 HR), 19 BB, 25 K.