The Boston Red Sox placed Cuban outfielder Rusney Castillo on outright waivers on Saturday, per John Heyman of FanRag Sports. If no team claims him by Monday, he will clear waivers. Given that Castillo is still owed $10.5 million this season and $11 million in each of the next three seasons, it would be surprising if any other team puts in a claim.
Rusney Castillo Waived by Red Sox
Castillo, once a highly regarded prospect, joined the Red Sox on seven-year, $72.5 million deal in August of 2014. At the time, the deal represented the largest contract ever for an amateur international player. In hindsight, Castillo is clearly a huge bust. However, at the time, the Sox were not the only team in on Castillo before he signed, and for good reason. In five seasons in Cuba’s Serie Nacional, Castillo hit .319 with fifty-one home runs and seventy-six stolen bases. His career OPS sat at an impressive .899.
Castillo’s skill set simply failed to translate to the Major Leagues. While he received only eight at-bats this season, he got an extended look in 2015. In eighty games last season, he hit a mediocre .253 and got on base at an anemic .288 clip. He fared even worse in his time with the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox this year. He managed just a .245 batting average and a .304 on-base percentage, with one home run and twenty-three strikeouts in 147 at-bats. He walked just ten times.
His poor strikeout to walk ratio with Pawtucket this season continues a trend that began in Boston last year. In 273 at-bats in 2015, Castillo struck out fifty-four times while drawing just thirteen walks. In fact, given those numbers, his 2016 K/BB ratio actually looks like a slight improvement.
Though the Red Sox outfield depth has been depleted of late, thanks to injuries to Brock Holt and Blake Swihart, Castillo still saw little action in Boston. It became apparent early in the season that the organization had soured on the 28-year-old.
If Castillo goes unclaimed, it’s possible he will stay within the Red Sox organization. While he would no longer be a member of the 40-man roster, he could still play in games for Pawtucket.
Main Photo:
