The Kia Tigers are locking in their foreign player group for the 2026 KBO season, and there’s a mix of familiarity and fresh faces in the fold. Right-handers James Naile and Adam Oller are back for another run, while infielder Jarryd Dale and veteran utility man Harold Castro are stepping into new chapters of their careers - with Castro making his first leap into international ball after years grinding through MLB and the minors.
Let’s start with what the Tigers know. Naile returns for his third season with the club, a sign of trust in his role and performance.
Oller, meanwhile, is back for a second year, giving the Tigers some continuity in the rotation. But it’s the two newcomers who bring the intrigue.
Harold Castro’s name might ring a bell for MLB fans, especially those who followed the Detroit Tigers in the late 2010s and early 2020s. Signed out of Venezuela back in 2010, Castro spent over a decade in the Detroit system before finally breaking through to the majors in 2018.
Once there, he carved out a role as a do-it-all utility man - the kind of player who can plug into almost any position in a pinch. Over five seasons in the bigs, Castro logged time at every spot on the field except catcher, and he did it while batting a respectable .286.
But for all his versatility and contact skills, Castro’s game had limitations. He didn’t bring much power, he rarely drew walks, and his defensive metrics - though based on limited samples - didn’t do him many favors. After the 2022 season, Detroit non-tendered him, and Castro found a new opportunity in Colorado.
That stint with the Rockies in 2023 didn’t go as hoped. Despite making the Opening Day roster and sticking around all season, Castro struggled to produce at the plate - even in the hitter-friendly confines of Coors Field. His .589 OPS and 45 wRC+ were among the lowest in the league, and he finished with a -1.5 WAR, per FanGraphs - the third-worst mark among all major leaguers that year.
Following that tough season, the Rockies moved on, and Castro took his game to the Mexican League with the Toros de Tijuana. There, he rediscovered his swing.
He followed that up with a strong showing for Leones del Caracas in the Venezuelan Winter League, which opened the door to a minor league deal with the Royals in 2025. Castro responded with one of his best offensive seasons in years: 21 home runs, a .307 average, and a 129 wRC+ over 99 games in Triple-A.
Still, the call to Kansas City’s big league roster never came.
Now, at 32, Castro is heading to Korea, signing a $1 million deal with the Kia Tigers. He’ll replace Patrick Wisdom, who put together an impressive debut KBO season in 2025 - 35 home runs and a 126 wRC+ - so expectations will be high for Castro to deliver.
Joining him is Jarryd Dale, a former Padres prospect and Australian Baseball League product who spent 2025 with the Orix Buffaloes in Japan’s NPB. Dale brings a different kind of upside - younger, with international experience, and still developing. His addition gives the Tigers another versatile infield option, and potentially a long-term piece if he adjusts well to the KBO.
All told, the Tigers are balancing continuity and upside with this foreign player group. Naile and Oller bring stability to the pitching staff, while Dale and Castro offer positional flexibility and, in Castro’s case, a veteran presence with something to prove. If Castro can carry over his Triple-A production and Dale finds his footing, the Tigers could be looking at a well-rounded import class to power their 2026 campaign.