Red Sox Sign Cuban Outfielder Rusney Castillo

Gordon Edes, ESPNBoston:

The Boston Red Sox landed the services of Cuban outfielder Rusney Castillo, agreeing to a seven-year, $72.5 million contract, a team source told ESPNBoston.com's Gordon Edes on Friday.

Castillo, 27, will join the team this season, the source added, and is expected to undergo a physical in Boston on Saturday. ...

At 5-foot-9, 185 pounds, Castillo isn't a pure masher in the mold of Jose Abreu or Cespedes. But his power/speed combo has drawn comparisons to Andrew McCutchen and Yasiel Puig.

Alex Speier, WEEI:

The 5-foot-9 Castillo is viewed as a player with elite speed that allows him to be a game-changer on the bases and also permits him considerable range in the outfield, where he can play center or right. He also shows the ability to impact the ball as a line-drive/gap hitter.

Castillo's former teammate Yoenis Cespedes offered the following description of Castillo to WEEI.com earlier this month: "If he's not a five-tool player, he's a least a four-tool player. He's very comparable to Puig. Obviously a different height and size, but very similar qualities."

Puig may be a bit of a stretch as a comparable talent; one evaluator suggested that the Sox signed Castillo more with an eye toward acquiring a player along the lines of a Shane Victorino in his prime — a terrific athlete who has outstanding speed, can play center or right field (more likely center) for the Sox at a high level, and, while not having the power of a Jose Abreu, possesses an ability to impact the baseball that suggests the potential for double-digit home run totals.