Rusney Castillo showcased his skills, signed on the dotted line and obtained a work visa. The Cuban outfielder now must prove the Boston Red Sox made a wise investment.
Castillo recently inked a seven-year, $72.5 million contract with the Red Sox. It’s a reflection of the 27-year-old’s potential, but the signing isn’t without some risk, as Castillo has zero major league experience. Will Castillo’s talent translate to the majors?
The big league success enjoyed by fellow Cuban defectors Yoenis Cespedes, Yasiel Puig, Jose Abreu and Aroldis Chapman suggests Castillo could hit the ground running upon joining the Red Sox. Castillo features a much different skill set, though, so it’s not exactly apples to apples.
NESN.com Red Sox beat writer Ricky Doyle caught up with Baseball America’s Ben Badler, who heavily scouted Castillo before the outfielder signed with Boston, to dive deeper into the deal. Badler also provided an inside look at Boston’s recent high-profile amateur signings, Anderson Espinoza and Chris Acosta, and Red Sox farmhand Rafael Devers.
Chris Mellen, a senior scouting advisor for SoxProspects.com who also works for Baseball Prospectus, then joined the podcast to discuss several topics pertaining to the Red Sox’s minor league system. It’s obviously a crucial time down on the farm given Boston’s major league woes.
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Photo via Twitter/@RedSox
Thumbnail photo via Twitter/@BDCSports
