Twins’ Eiberson Castellano embraces the roster challenge that comes with being a Rule 5 draft pick

FORT MYERS, FLA. – After Eiberson Castellano bounced a couple of breaking balls on the turf in his first bullpen session since the Twins opened camp, he threw an inside fastball with a dummy stand-in for a righthanded batter.

Ryan Jeffers, the catcher, offered some praise, but Castellano shook his head as he awaited the ball back.

Among the 30 pitchers in Twins camp, Castellano faces a different type of pressure. He was picked in December’s Rule 5 draft after he was named the Philadelphia Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Year. He must remain on the Twins’ 26-man roster all season; otherwise he will be placed on waivers and offered back to the Phillies.

For a pitcher with only eight starts above A-ball in the minors, a big-league roster spot is in front of him if he can impress throughout camp.

“It’s a big jump,” Castellano said in Spanish. “This is my first spring training in the big leagues. I’m already trying to adapt as much as I can. This is going to be a new experience for me, but I’m enjoying it.”

Castellano, 23, had a 3.99 ERA in 103⅔ innings last season, split between Class A-Advanced and Class AA, with 136 strikeouts and 29 walks. The Twins took a low-risk flier that his mid-90s fastball and sharp curveball could work in a long relief role in the bullpen while skipping the typical steps in a player’s development.

“It is a big change,” Castellano said about competing for a spot in the bullpen. “It is a different plan. Of course, coming from the bullpen, you have to have your 10 best pitches [immediately]. That’s something we’ve been working on. I’ve been a reliever before in past years.”

Pablo López, a fellow Venezuelan, called Castellano last month to welcome him to the organization, emphasizing he shouldn’t put extra pressure on himself.

Castellano admits he was surprised he was taken in the Rule 5 draft, but it was “pretty amazing.” It was the first time the Twins made a Rule 5 pick since Tyler Kinley in 2017.

“It is a lot of responsibility being on the roster, but that’s why I’m here,” Castellano said. “I’m going to fight for that spot and give it my all.”

Danny Coulombe, back in the Twins clubhouse for the first time in two years, has a locker in the middle of the room.

“I was over there last time with all the young guys,” said the 35-year-old reliever, nodding toward a corner of the clubhouse.

Coulombe is back with the Twins, signing a one-year, $3 million contract, after two solid seasons with the Baltimore Orioles. Coulombe had a 2.12 ERA in 33 relief appearances last year, though he was sidelined for a couple of months after he had surgery to remove bone spurs from his left elbow.

His velocity dipped when he returned at the end of the season — he said the issue was easily identifiable on video — but he didn’t have time to focus on adjusting his mechanics with the postseason starting.

When he was asked what brought him back to his former team, Coulombe kept referencing the familiarity.

“They know me,” said Coulombe, who had a 2.92 ERA in 49⅓ innings with the Twins. “I was here from 2020 to 2023 spring training. That’s a lot of time with a team. They definitely helped me along the way. I wouldn’t be where I am today without them. Honestly, when we were evaluating situations, you think of the family aspect, too. We were familiar with Minnesota. A lot of the other guys have kids that are similar ages. My wife knows all the other wives. It was just a perfect storm.”

• Louie Varland hasn’t been told about his role for the upcoming season, but signs point to him becoming a full-time reliever. “It’s very possible that we see a good amount of him out of the bullpen this year,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “We’ve seen the way he looks when he pitches out of the bullpen. But I’m not ready to say 100% locked in that Louie will pitch there. Let’s wait and see how the first couple of weeks of camp play out.”

• Twins catcher Jair Camargo made Colombia’s roster for the World Baseball Classic qualifier next month. Games will be played from March 2-6 in Tucson, Ariz., so Camargo will leave Twins camp shortly beforehand.