Jason Castro to Continue Rehab at Triple-A Oklahoma City

Jason Castro began his next stint of rehab as he joined the Oklahoma City RedHawks (Astros Triple-A affiliate) on Monday night to face off against the Salt Lake Bees.

Castro, suffering from a right knee effusion, has been on the disabled list since July 8th. GM Jeff Luhnow has plans for Castro to catch seven innings before upgrading him to a full nine inning game. If he is able to catch back-to-back nine inning games without pain he will be considered to be brought back up to the big leagues. Chris Snyder and Carlos Corporan are currently sharing catching duties for the Astros.

Castro, a former first round pick from Stanford, is hitting .254 with two home runs and 20 RBI’s. His bat was beginning to gain life shortly before the injury. Plagued by injuries throughout his career, Castro missed the entire 2011 season. Astros fans have been left wanting more from a player believed to have so much potential.

Chip Bailey of Ultimate Astros suggested that the Astros should consider moving Castro to first base. Castro clearly has issues with his knees, and catcher isn’t an ideal spot to send out a 25 year-old with such afflictions over 100 times a year. A move to first base would seem to make sense, and with the Astros on pace for over 100 losses for the second consecutive year it might not hurt to mix things up a bit.

Regardless of the record, the final two months of this season will play a huge role in the future of the franchise. Many players will be auditioning for spots on the 2013 roster and Jason Castro is no exception. At this point, it is safe to assume that very few (if any) players are safe as the team moves forward.