Boston Red Sox Striking Out with Cuban Players
By David Hill
It would be easy to overlook the notification that the Boston Red Sox have designated Daliler Hinojosa for assignment. After all, he spent all of one game in the majors thus far in his career, walking three and hitting a batter in his 1.2 innings of work. It is not as though Hinojosa would be considered the type of player that would drastically alter a franchise.
Yet, there was hope that Hinojosa would be a contributor for the Red Sox, and for more than just one outing. After the 2013 season, the then 27 year old Hinojosa was signed to a $4.25 Million contract, in the hopes that he would a key part of the Red Sox, either in the bullpen or the starting rotation, going forward. Instead, he seemed like a possible middle reliever, given his concerns with his command, as proven by his 50 walks in 103.2 AAA innings.
This designation of Hinojosa, while it would likely fly under the radar, may be a hint into a potential problem with the Red Sox. While most teams have been able to tap into the Cuban market to supplement their roster and find players that have been able to make an impact at the major league level, the Red Sox seemingly have struggled in that regard.
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This may include the Boston Red Sox high profile signing of Rusney Castillo last year. Castillo flashed his potential last year in his brief ten game trial with the Red Sox last year, producing a .333/.400/.528 batting line while hitting two home runs and stealing three bases. This season, however, Castillo has shuttled between Boston and Pawtucket, producing a .230/.260/.284 batting line at the majors. Even more distressing, Castillo, at times, appears to be lacking the basic knowledge of the game that one tends to expect from Cuban players.
Now, the Red Sox hopes for an impact player from Cuba may well rest upon the shoulders of Yoan Moncada. Compared to Robinson Cano or Chase Utley in his prime, Moncada has posted a solid .263/.354/.388 batting line with 15 stolen bases for the Greenville Drive. While that would be a good sign for a potential leadoff hitter, Moncada was expected to be a middle of the order hitter for the Red Sox over the long term.
There is still time for Castillo to turn into that player the Red Sox expect, and Moncada is only 20 years old. Yet, the struggles that Castillo has had, as well as Moncada looking like a completely different player than expected, are a reminder that the Cuban players are really a gamble. Even with the best scouts and all of the individual workouts, there is still no way of knowing how a player will perform.
Much like the Japanese Leagues were at the beginning of the 2000’s, the Cuban League is being considered a pipeline of major league talent. However, as with any player, one never knows what they are going to receive for the contract. The Boston Red Sox, and their failures in the Cuban market thus far, are a testament to that.