Pablo Sandoval Leads List Of Ex-Red Sox Drafted In New Baseball League

A handful of former Major League Baseball players, including several former Boston Red Sox veterans, will take their talents overseas and play for the newly-founded Baseball United league in the Middle East in November.

On Monday, the league held its first-ever draft, allowing each of its four teams to select from a handful of professional-caliber players and form their respective teams before the start of the shortly-scheduled event. All teams, which are also led by honorary general managers/ former big league stars, including Félix Hernández, Barry Larkin and ex-Red Sox Adrián Beltré, were comprised of 20-man rosters.

And within three of those four rosters is at least one former Red Sox, making for a five-man list:

— 3B Pablo Sandoval, first round, 2nd pick (Abu Dhabi Falcons)
— LHP Robbie Ross, second round, 12th pick (Mumbai Cobras)
— RHP Bartolo Colon, second round, 16th pick (Karachi Monarchs)
— OF Alejandro De Aza, third round, 23rd pick (Abu Dhabi Falcons)
— OF Rusney Castillo, fifth round, 37th pick (Abu Dhabi Falcons)

Sandoval, the earliest selected out of the bunch, last played for the Atlanta Braves in 2021. After that short-lived stint, the now-37-year-old transitioned out of MLB and signed with the Acereros de Monclova of the Mexican League before being released in January of 2023.

Pretty on brand with the downhill decline that was Sandoval’s career after signing with the Red Sox to a $90 million contract, but failing to live up to the expectations attached. That’s since left the once-beloved All-Star in no man’s land as far as playing days are concerned.

Sandoval and the rest of the ex-Red Sox crew will get to officially take the field during Baseball United’s showcase, a two-game All-Star contest, scheduled for Nov. 24 and 25.