We’ve heard a lot of reports recently on Cuban outfielder/infielder Rusney Castillo, who drew most every team in baseball to a showcase before embarking on a series of individual workouts. It remains to be seen, of course, just how good Castillo will be at the major league level. But scouting reports have ranged from solid to fairly glowing (being compared to Ron Gant, for example, is not faint praise).
Rumor has it that, having shown some big tools in his showcase, Castillo could land as much as $50MM in a six-year deal. On top of his ability, Castillo’s appeal lies in the fact that he is expected to be ready for an MLB roster spot virtually right out of the gate and that teams can acquire prime years without sacrificing draft compensation or young talent. That is hardly unprecedented — just this winter, the same was true of Jose Abreu — but Castillo holds special intrigue since he could have near-immediate impact on a postseason race. (Of course, as Joel Sherman recently noted, quick visa work will be necessary to make that possible.)
For those reasons, there is no shortage of plausible landing spots for Castillo. Looking back through the MLBTR archives, 11 teams have been connected with him in some manner beyond simply attending the showcase. (The Orioles and Twins were also said to have interest, but not at his expected price tag.) Ben Badler provides a breakdown of some of the possible fits here. So, will Castillo sign with one of those clubs, or will a mystery team emerge?
I’d be surprised if it wasn’t Detroit, NY or Boston. I voted Detroit cause I see them offering him the most.
I think the White Sox can make this happen. They have a good amount of money to work with and if he can play 2nd base, he is a great replacement for Beckham. Also, Abreu, Garcia, and Castillo would be a deadly 3-4-5 and I bet Castillo wouldn’t mind the Cuban connection with many of the players on the team. Abreu loves it in Chicago.
Why Cuban players defect? to find close friends? They go after the highest bidder and when you have the Yankees looking to add a player, it’s game over. And like i said above, I’m not a Yankees fan.
Because the Yankees ALWAYS make the highest offer right? (Robinson Cano, Russell Martin)
it’s the length, not the money. Yanks’ offer on yearly average is actually slightly higher than M’s.
Right, but generally you go with more guaranteed money unless you think you can land another contract afterwards. It is the money, but AAV doesn’t matter if you don’t get as much overall.
Yankees cost would include luxury tax. This guy could cost the Yankees about $20MM/year when you factor that in.
I don’t see why they would care after spending half billion this past off-season. Again, I’m also against Castillo going to the Yankees but it’s reality.
“I don’t see why they would care after spending half billion this past off-season”
I honestly do not understand why people say that. The half a billion is money that will be spread across 7 seasons. It’s not like they spend the half billion at once, which is when you think about it, equivalent to saying “they spent half a billion this past off-season”
When they signed all those players, they have agreed to pay whatever players signed for during the contract yrs. They are guaranteed contracts. If the Yanks decide to trade those players later on, it’s just different story. Yankees have committed to spend half billion this off-season. Now that being said, why would they stop committing to spend all of sudden?
Where did I say they would stop committing? You did not add the commitment part until your reply. Saying they spent half a billion in the off-season is basically saying they spent half a billion. They did not spend half a billion. Overall they spent about $77+ million this past offseason (Tanaka, McCann, Beltran and Ellsbury), not $500 million. There’s a difference.
I would assume baseball FANS all know about commitment part. I guess i’ll have to explain word by word next time. But you know what? baseball analysts also say these stuff. Yanks spent half B this off-season. When you buy a car, you agree to pay say $50K which would break down to monthly payments. For example $800 per month for 60 months something like that. But when you go brag your car to friends, you don’t say your car cost you $800, right?
But was $50K Spent on the car? No, and no one would say it costs $800. But you can say if you want it costs $800 A Month which it does. Just like you can say the Yankees spent $500 Million COMMITTED to 7 years. Not $500 million at once
Whatever, it’s a silly comparison and silly thing to argue about. My point still stands, as does yours.
Rick Hahn pretty much already said they aren’t interested…He said they are happen with Eaton in center and they would like a left handed bat in left…I don’t think they are even in the mix.
I’d be cool with them adding Melky this off-season. One of the few interesting options.
He plays CF? The Braves need him.
It’d be cool, but never gonna happen for multiple reasons. They’ll probably use the money to sign BJ to a 10 year $250M extension.
No draft pick cost, under 30 yr old player, only requires cash, of course the Yankees. I’m not a Yankees fan.
Disagree. They didn’t sign Jose Abreu, so it’s not really a given that they’ll sign Castillo
Well they didnt sign Abreu because they have Teixeira. Although I still dont think theyll sign Castillo because they really dont have a need for him
Yankees want him as a 2B and they don’t have future at 2B.
They do. They have Prado and Refsnyder
i’ll just skip Prado. as far as Refsnyder concerns, I don’t think they view him as their future 2B.
Cashman himself implied that the only reason they are keeping him in AAA this season is so he can improve defensively and be considered as a long term option at second starting next season. And if Refsnyder doesnt pan out, Prado is a solid back up plan. The Yankees just dont have a desperate need at second base right now. Theyre more desperate to find an everyday shortstop
They also didn’t sign Cespedes or Chapman.
Would the A’s dip back into the Cuban market after trading Cespedes? Crisp isn’t getting any younger. I’ll take the A’s as a different, random guess.
A’s have the money and with Cespedes nobody saw that one coming since they assumed he would sign else where.
Cespedes was providing a LOT of protection in the A’s lineup. Since he’s been gone their offense and close games they can’t miraculously pull out like they were prior to the trade. Lester is great every 6th start and all, but Cespedes was providing that offensive protection around Moss and Donaldson that was a wicked combo. Hamel just can’t adjust. A’s are in a LOT of trouble.
Seattle’s team ERA is the best in MLB, best Bullpen ERA in MLB, and top 6 Defense in MLB. Morales is hitting strong again, Ackley, and Taylor, Cano too. Seattle is “Finally” getting strong offense out of their lineup. Don’t be surprised if Seattle is on top of the Division by September 1st. Seattle has the harder September schedule than the A’s and Angels though, so it’s gonna be one amazing Sept baseball to watch to see how this AL West division pans out. It’s going to be a dog fight from all 3 of these teams.
My point on the offense is the Seattle would be very wise to land Castillo to platoon with Saunders in RF. That would push Denorfia to the bench and improve Seattle’s bench. Playing OF/SS could push Brad Miller back to AAA and get Castillo in RF and SS with adequate playing time as a backup IFer too.
They are 5.5 back from both the Angels and A’s. I seriously doubt they catch up in two weeks. Both teams would have to crash and the M’s would have to win almost every game.
Well Seattle is 11-3 over the past 14. I think Seattle could go on a 15-20 game winning streak by 9/1. But Seattle does have the tougher sched in Sept over the A’s and Angels.
It’s gonna be some incredible baseball in the AL West whatever way you look at it!
Looks like you had some things you wanted to get off your chest.
Pitching wins in the playoffs. Don’t jump off a ledge just yet about the A’s lack of offense. With all the head-to-head Angels games at the end of the season, the A’s will likely stay neck&neck with the Halos but squeak by on their dominant pitching. The offense will come around.
I agree and think it will be a neck and neck race with A’s/Angels/M’s.
Seattle has the top #1 pitching staff in MLB, and ditto…don’t count the Mariners out either. If Seattle goes on another 10-game winning streak we could be looking at a 3-way tie for 1st in the AL West going into September!
I wonder how much of their salaries go to unsavory characters that “helped” them flee? 50%?
Are you implying they’re better off in Cuba or something?
MLB has to do something about this system. Likely 10s of millions dollars are indirectly going to “human traffickers”.
We all have fun watching these players, but there is a very dark side to this that perhaps we do not want to see.
I’m not disagreeing that it’s a shady business, but it kind of has to be considering they get thrown in prison if they get caught trying to leave. I don’t think its fair to call players defecting to play baseball in the MLB “human trafficking.”
I am not talking about the players. I am talking about the people they have to give 50%+ of their salary to (just guessing the percentage) that they “owe” for getting them out.
Very possible these people could be involved in gambling etc. This is very messy if you scratch beneath the surface a little.
Good point, although I’m not sure what can be done to combat it short of barring Cuban defectors from playing altogether since this is all under-the-table type stuff.
You mean like the Underground Railroad or those shady characters that helped East Germans get through the Berlin Wall?
They may not be shady at all.
Um…pretty sure they are shady as can be. As stated, they are getting paid percentages of players’ contracts for getting them out of Cuba. No doubt the leverage for the traffickers lies in the threat of violence towards the players or their families that still reside in Cuba. I doubt the traffickers aren’t doing it because of the human rights violation factor.
The sox had a lot of money come off the books (Peavy, A.J., Lackey, etc.) which means they should have some money available to either sign or trade for a starting pitcher and bring in another bat. Considering JBJ has been a disaster hitting and the notion that they want to compete in 2015, they should be all in. Who know though, the Red Sox are to in love with their prospects and have become unwilling to spend lately.
Sox have more than enough money to sign or take on salaries for 2-3 big names. But they have been too cautious when it comes to signing long term and big names.
I think they should sign Castillo, Lester, and another 2-3 starter. Their pitching rotation right now is not good.
Well of course not, have you ever seen a team trade off 3/5 it’s rotation and still be as good as it was before?
Why would Cash and company be in on this kid? I thought the plan was for Refsnyder to be the everyday 2B, unless Rusney plays OF
Can he really help this year? If so, Detroit is desperate. They also have a very weak farm system. This is a good way to counterpoise that.
The Yankees don’t really need him. Boston (big market team rebuilding toward next run – has the money obviously after unloading all of their bad contracts on other teams), Mets (probably could sign him they need an OF also), Detroit (now than AJax is gone), Oakland (I could even see them getting into the mix), Seattle (they could use an OF bat), Atlanta (badly need something besides BJ), Miami (I could see it – to give them another youngish bat to build around though its not really needed…would give them trade bait in Ozuna to pick up some bench, MI, or bullpen help for next few seasons.
I am a Yankees fan and I do not think the Yankees sign Castillo. They arent desperate for a right fielder and for some reason, they seem afraid to sign Cuban players
He could play 2B also. That may intrigue them to sign.
I thought I read his defense wasnt nearly as good in the infield? The Yankees have Prado and Refsnyder as options for second base next year
Yeah and it all depends on how they view Castillo and the players they currently have. The Yanks want to win now and if they can bring someone in that they believe is an upgrade on what they currently have then they’ll make the signing.
The stats don’t agree with you. According the Baseball-Reference site, the 2014 Yankee rightfielders have a -1.3 rating.
Thats because Beltran has been a DH for most of the year he is just now starting to play right field and they cant just get rid of him next season
Is “Mystery Team” another name for Diamondbacks? They’ve mystified me for years.
Voted Red Sox, but I honestly have no clue. Maybe I’ve missed it, but I haven’t seen or heard a thing from any team with regards to what they think of him. So I really have no idea who sees him as a potential All-Star, bench player, or non-prospect.
I’d really like to see Toronto make a move for him. Rasmus is gone after this year and the Jays lack a true CF outside of Gose, who’s best suited to a 4th OF at this point.
Reds make sense – they could spread the money out over 6 years, and $50 million isn’t bad to fill a desperate need in the outfield.
Agreed, plus Jocketty has proven he isn’t afraid to dip in the Cuban market with Chapman and Iglesias.
Whoever picked Mystery Team… you are dead wrong. We all know Mystery Team is always in the mix but never actually signs the player.
See: Lee, Cliff.
Good point, sometimes the mystery team does sign on. But I think in this case, disadvantage is correct…it’s unlikely that he would be signed by a team that he didn’t work out for, and all such teams are specified here.
I agree, unless they are just gonna gamble and pray which is very unlikely.
Also Lester and Price.
Those two players were not signed though. and there were rumors leading up to the Tigers trade from the night before
The biggest trade this year was Price to the Tigers. They were certainly a mystery team.
The biggest acquisition in the offseason was Cano to the Mariners. A mystery team until late in the process.
Not hard to come up with other names in previous years: Fielder, Pujols, etc. in prior years.
Actually, its seem like mystery teams seem to get MORE top players than the usual suspects.
It’s unfortunate that the Mets have decided to take a pass on all Cuban defectors. Castilo is the bat they need.
Oakland. They’re my dark horse pick. Otherwise White Sox or Yankees.
The MLBTR Golden Rule: When in doubt, vote mystery team.
I wouldn’t be surprise if he winds up in Oakland.
Seattle. Adding additional offense to their top pitching & defense would be deadly for their opponents.
Tigers are currently in contention and traded away Jackson, their CF. I say they have the most want for Castillo and will be more than willing to pay the price.
I think it will be Boston, they want him very bad, have a need in cf(which he prefers to play) and had the most scouts on him. Also doesn’t hurt that they have Cespedes which, even though they aren’t friends or anything, could maybe sway his decision.
Mystery Team: Orioles
With how close Boston was on Abreu (aprox. $5M), I think they’ll be aggressive here, add to the OF depth to allow them to work out deals for SP in the offseason