Two non-roster invitees that could aid Texas' pitching staff?

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- A lot has changed in Texas since Adrian Sampson was last in the Rangers organization.

Sampson previously pitched parts of two seasons for the Rangers in 2018-19, posting a 5.64 ERA in 148 1/3 innings, for two teams that finished well below .500. One GM and two managers later, Sampson returns to the organization coming off its first World Series.

“It's awesome that the culture has changed a little bit, especially with bringing in [Rangers manager Bruce] Bochy, a guy already with winning records and World Series trophies,” Sampson said. “It's easy to get behind that kind of stuff. No matter what you're doing, you're trusting the process that he puts in place.”

Sampson’s journey since leaving Texas hasn’t been smooth sailing. He played in the KBO in 2020, struggling to a 5.40 ERA in 25 starts. But then he bounced back with the Cubs the following two seasons, compiling a 3.03 ERA in 139 2/3 innings between 2021-22. He didn’t pitch in the big leagues in ‘23 due to a knee injury.

• Angels 3, Rangers 2

Now, he’s back in Rangers camp on a Minor League deal, joining a handful of big league pitchers hoping to earn a spot on the Opening Day roster. Sampson pitched two scoreless innings against the Giants in his Cactus League debut on Feb. 25, but followed that up by allowing a three-run homer in the rematch between the two clubs on March 1.

He’s being built up as a starter, but the right-hander can also come out of the bullpen as a long-relief arm if necessary.

“I think the stuff I've been working on is showing,” Sampson said. “But personally, I just want to be healthy. I want to get back to where I was in ‘22. I'm kind of feeling that way. At the same time you have to go out there and compete. If the job is there for the taking, it'd be silly to say that you weren't having eyes set on that goal.”

Much like Sampson, Diego Castillo is in the same boat, as the 30-year-old is in camp as a non-roster invitee hoping to break camp with the big league club.

But his journey is a little different than Sampson’s.

Castillo is looking to reestablish himself as a quality big league reliever after posting a 6.23 ERA and being optioned to Triple-A Tacoma (Mariners organization) in 2023 less than a month into the season.

From 2018-21, Castillo was one of the elite relievers in the game, with a 2.98 ERA, 28 saves and a .198 opponent average in 205 1/3 innings with the Rays and Mariners. He said he wasn’t entirely sure what went wrong for him in ‘23, though it was clear that the velocity dropped a significant amount on all of his pitches and he struggled to throw consistent strikes.

Despite that, Castillo feels like he’s stronger after learning a lot during his time in the Minors.

If he can return to the form he displayed prior to ‘23, then he may be a significant boost to the Rangers’ bullpen.

“I'll be honest, I don't know what went wrong [for him last year],” Bochy said. “But we all have our off times or even a year. But he's had a pretty nice career with that power sinker and slider. He’s throwing strikes here. He looks good.

“He stays at the bottom of the zone that attacks his zone with both pitches. I think it's been a good spring for him at this point, so I'm looking forward to seeing him every time he goes out because he's part of the competition to make this bullpen.”

In three outings so far this spring, Castillo has looked more like the previous version of himself. In three Cactus League innings, he’s allowed no runs and just two hits. He’s struck out four batters in that span -- at least one in each appearance.

“I feel really good and I feel ready to go,” Castillo said. “2023 was really tough, but I’m stronger and I just take it easy and keep doing my job. The only thing I want is to make the roster. That's why I'm here.”