Nearly every MLB team has eyes on Cuban defector and outfield prospect Rusney Castillo. According to FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal, 28 teams and “approximately 100 baseball officials” were there to see the prospect in anticipation of him becoming available, as NBC’s Hardball Talk says, “by the end of the season.” Castillo’s workout was captured in pictures, which you can see on Jesse Sanchez’s MLB Blog.
28 teams attend Rusney Castillo workout in Miami
Another Cuban prospect “wows,” this time at a highly choreographed showcase in Miami. But what do scouts “really” think about Rusney Castillo?
Dennis Grombkowski
According to CBS Sports' Jon Heyman, he's seen by scouts as "Brett Gardner, with power." If you are wondering what Brett Gardner would look like if he hit home runs, it's something like this:
Castillo is drawing solid reviews, with one scout telling Baseball America, “I like him, He’s a major league player.”
Scouts were somewhat split on his vaunted speed -- according to BA, one scout gave him the highest possible grade for his speed with an 80, while others have him at 60 -- but his hitting seemed to quiet concerns. As one scout put it, “After his second round of batting practice, I would have stopped right there because I didn’t think he could improve on that. But he did.”
Castillo spent five years in Cuba as a professional, which means teams aren't limited to the normal international spending limits on prospects. As a result, there could be an auction for his services on the level of Yu Darvish or Masahiro Tanaka.
There were references in the Baseball America report about “wardrobe changes” for Castillo and overzealous handlers “toweling him off after every five swings, offering him water every few seconds and even using towels to fan him.”
The showcase was entirely choreographed, complete with a college baseball player brought in for batting practice telling BA, "I tried to throw strikes to give him a chance to show what he could do, But I wanted to throw quality strikes."
Catillo’s workout ended with the center fielder attempting to play shortstop, but with his plus-speed and, according to Baseball America, “league average arm,” his more likely position is left field.
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