Boston Red Sox Cuban Outfielder Rusney Castillo: Is He The Next Yasiel Puig? [VIDEO]

Its early morning in Florida; roughly 8:00AM EST as a group of autograph seekers and Boston Red Sox fans gather around a small practice field outside of Fort Meyers, Fla. The field is known as JetBlue Park, and there was anything but blue on this particular morning. A sea of red surrounded the back entrance to the park as fans of Red Sox Nation from all across Florida drove to Fort Meyers to get a glimpse of what Boston Red Sox Manager John Farrell called, “a shorter version of Puig.”

Then it happened, out of the building and into the hot Florida sun stepped the next big thing: Cuban baseball player, Rusney Castillo, the Boston Red Sox’ new $72.5 million dollar outfielder. Castillo is 27 and defected from Cuba in December of last year. The details of his defection are unknown and as of now, he refuses to talk about it. At 5 feet 9 inches tall it’s true he’s smaller than the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Yasiel Puig, but at 200 pounds, both players are built the same: like a tank.

Castillo went through his first day of workouts on Wednesday, stretching, doing calisthenics, light jogging, playing catch and taking part in some minor batting practice. The Red Sox current plan is to slowly get Castillo ramped up and ready to play in the Gulf Coast League. The Red Sox affiliate there has made the playoffs and they hope to have Castillo on the team before the playoffs start this weekend. There’s a small chance they could call Castillo up to the majors when the rosters expand next week, but more than likely with nothing left to play for this season, the Sox will shut him down and wait til next year.

Castillo provides hope and optimism to a Red Sox team that went from World Series champions last year, to laughing stock of the MLB this year. One of the league’s worst teams this season, the Red Sox were sellers at the trade deadline, shredding all of their starting pitching in exchange for prospects, youth and another young Cuban slugger, Yoenis Cespedes. With a potential Cuban clan manning the corners of the outfield next season, there is room for excitement in Boston, especially if Castillo proves to be anything close to the player he has been compared to in Puig.

Check out the video clip below from the Seattle Mariners vs. Boston Red Sox game on Saturday and Red Sox Manager John Farrell’s comparison of Castillo to Puig. Farrell went on to say that he’s hoping to get Castillo some at bats in the minors soon and that he’s excited for his powerful bat to get into the Red Sox lineup.