Nats nearing Minors deal with Castillo (source)

The Nationals are nearing a Minor League deal with veteran catcher Welington Castillo, a source told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. The club has not announced the deal, which is expected to include a non-roster invitation to big league Spring Training.

The 32-year-old Castillo spent the last two seasons with the White Sox, batting a combined .230 with 18 home runs across 432 plate appearances. He also ranked among the game’s best catchers in average pop time on throws to second base, per Statcast.

Castillo was suspended for 80 games in 2018 after testing positive for Erythropoietin (EPO), a performance-enhancing substance, in violation of Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

Veterans Kurt Suzuki and Yan Gomes -- the Nationals’ two primary catchers from their run to the 2019 World Series title -- remain on Washington’s active roster.