Kory C. Casto, known around here as "Casto!!(clapclap) Casto!!(clapclap)" will more than likely be placed on waivers sometime between the end of this afternoon's game and tomorrow morning, and if he's unclaimed he'll be assigned to Triple-A Syracuse as the last cut of the Nationals' '09 Spring Training...
The Montreal Expos made Casto their 3rd Round pick, 87th overall in 2003, after having selected reliever Chad Cordero with the 20th pick in the 1st Round and OF Jerry Owens with the 57th pick in the 2nd. The 6'0'', 190 lb, left-handed hitting Casto was 21 when drafted by Montreal out of the University of Portland in his home state of Oregon, where he'd hit 19 doubles, 14 HR's and 57 RBI's in 55 games and 204 at bats and put up a .338 AVG, .446 OBP and .637 SLG.
In parts of 6 minor league seasons, Casto's hit .272 in 617 games and 2,273 AB's in the Expos and Nationals' systems, and he's collected 134 doubles, 18 triples, 79 HR's and 367 RBI's at various stops and level. Back in 2007, he was ranked as the fourth best prospect in the Nationals' organization by Baseball America.com's Aaron Fitt, ahead of the likes Esmailyn "Smiley" Gonzalez, Matt Chico and Ian Desmond and behind only Collin Balester, Chris Marrero and Colton Willems.
But...in 82 games worth of his MLB career after having been called up on April 3, 2007, Kory Casto has hit just .192 in 217 AB's, with just 12 doubles, 2 HR's, 19 RBI's and a .264 OBP. Late in March, MLB.com's Bill Ladson wrote an article entitled, "Nats have decision to make about Casto", which discussed the situation the Washington Nationals were faced with in regards to Casto, who was out of options and unlikely to make the Opening Day roster. This morning, Washington Post writer Chico Harlan wrote, in a Nationals Journal post entitled, "The 25th (or 26th) Man On The Team", reported that, "The team is probably going to take a third catcher for its final roster spot", which meant (if true), that Casto was on the outside looking in and facing the waiver wire tomorrow...
So, I just wanted to take this opportunity to say goodbye to Kory Casto, if that's the case, cause I'm assuming he won't make it through 29 other teams, and when he comes up with Oakland or Minnesota, or more than likely, Seattle, we here at federalbaseball.com will be pulling for him, like we do for so many other prospects who've left the system...Good Luck, Casto!!(clapclap) Casto!!(clap)!!!
(ed. note - "If however, you clear waivers, then we'll see you soon, Kory!")
It's the Nationals and the Orioles live from Virginia at 3:30 pm EST. Who's Following The Nationals? I've got it on the radio...