Pirates trade Diego Castillo to Arizona for pitching prospect; Rangers claim Nick Mears

The Pittsburgh Pirates parted ways with two players who were designated for assignment this week, one through a trade and the other on a waiver claim.

The Pirates dealt infielder/outfielder Diego Castillo to the Arizona Diamondbacks for right-handed pitcher Scott Randall. The Texas Rangers claimed right-handed reliever Nick Mears off waivers.

Castillo was designated Tuesday to make room on the 40-man roster for the signing of catcher Austin Hedges to a one-year, $5 million contract and Mears on Sunday to make room for outfielder/first baseman Connor Joe, who was acquired in a trade from the Colorado Rockies for pitching prospect Nick Garcia.

Randall, 24, was a seventh-round selection by the Diamondbacks out of Sacramento State in 2021. The 6-foot, 172-pounder was 6-7 with a 3.82 ERA and 1.16 WHIP, 104 strikeouts against 25 walks and allowed 14 home runs in 108 innings over 21 starts for High-A Hillsboro last season. Randall went 2-0 with a 0.47 ERA and 0.63 WHIP, 23 strikeouts and four walks and a .127 batting average against in 19 innings over five appearances, including two starts, in 2021.

Castillo, 25, made the Opening Day roster out of spring training and batted .206/.251/.382 with 13 doubles, 11 home runs and 29 RBIs in 96 games as a rookie, when he played shortstop, second base, right field, first base, third base and even made a pair of pitching appearances. Mears, 26, missed the start of the season after undergoing offseason surgery on his right elbow but returned to pitch twice in the final week of the season.