KANSAS CITY, Kan. – The Kansas City T-Bones announced they have signed pitcher Richard Castillo to a contract for the 2016 season.

Castillo, 26 (10-11-89), who’s 5-foot-11 and 165 pounds, is a right hander from Barquisimeto, Lara, Venezuela. Castillo, who did not play in 2015, played for Tulsa, which was Colorado’s double-A team, in 2014. He went 3-12 with a 5.41 ERA in 25 games (all starts). He had 69 strikeouts and 46 walks in 136 1/3 innings.

“Castillo is a younger veteran player with some proven pitching ability at the upper levels,” said T-Bones manager John Massarelli. “We feel he can be a top of the rotation starter for us.”

Castillo started his professional career in 2007, at the age of 17, in the St. Louis Cardinals’ farm system. He played at nearly every level in the St. Louis system, from their Venezuelan Summer League team in ‘07 to triple-A Memphis in 2013. In five starts for the Memphis Redbirds, Castillo went 1-2 with a 1.93 ERA in 28 innings. In eight professional seasons, Castillo is 60-75 with a 4.06 ERA in 290 games (173 starts). He has 721 career strikeouts to 413 walks in 1,091 1/3 innings. 

Castillo is the 15th player signed by Kansas City for 2016.

The T-Bones open the 2016 regular season at home on May 19 against Texas.