Braves reportedly showing interest in Willi Castro

According to ESPN’s Jorge Castillo, the Atlanta Braves are among the teams interested in free agent utility man Willi Castro.

“The Atlanta Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates and Colorado Rockies are among the teams interested in signing utility man Willi Castro, sources told ESPN,” Castillo writes. “Castro, 28, was an All-Star in 2024 after a strong first half with the Minnesota Twins, but he regressed through the second half and into the 2025 season.”

This isn’t a name that’s going to move Braves Country, especially given his performance since the second half of 2024. He hit just .222 with a .679 OPS last season, finishing with -0.2 WAR.

Even from my perspective, a move like this feels a bit repetitive after the earlier acquisition of Mauricio Dubon, who can quite literally play every position on the diamond. Perhaps the Braves are starting to feel more confident that Dubon will be the everyday shortstop, which might explain why they’re doubling up on super-utility pieces.

Willi Castro isn’t the big splash fans are anxiously waiting for; however, it’s worth remembering just how disastrous the Braves’ depth was a year ago. It became a major detriment once injuries piled up, and it’s not something Alex Anthopoulos can afford to overlook again. Moves like these can be vital to a team’s overall success, as long as they’re supplemental pieces attached to some much bigger transactions.