December 7, 2020

By Andrew Hendriks

Canadian Baseball Network

TORONTO -- The Toronto Blue Jays made a pair of waiver claims on Monday, selecting RHP Anthony Castro from Detroit and fellow righty Walker Lockett from Seattle.

Through 123 minor league appearances since the Tigers signed him as an amateur free agent in 2012, Castro, 25, has posted a cumulative ERA of 3.48 while striking out 521 batters across 556 2/3 innings. Ranked as Detroit’s No. 17 prospect prior to Monday’s move, all but 15 of Castro’s appearances have come as a starter. The 6-foot-2 product of Caracas, Ven., has only made one major league appearance and joins the Blue Jays under team control through the 2026 season.

Lockett, 26, has competed in 20 games at the MLB level, allowing 46 earned runs while striking out 39 of the 252 big league batters he’s faced over the last three seasons.

With 2020’s Rule 5 draft set to take place later this week, the Blue Jays’ 40-man roster currently sits at 39 players. Noteworthy names left unprotected ahead of Thursday’s draft include one of the organizations top 30 prospects in Kevin Smith (#20) and former first-rounder Logan Warmoth (2017).

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