The Red Sox and general manager Ben Cherington will visit the Dominican Republic and take a look at the Cuban outfielder in a private workout sometime this weekend, according to CSNNE.com.
Cespedes was “considered a strong defender in the outfield,” notes CSNNE.com, “and while he has played primarily center field in Cuba, [Cespedes] would be open to playing one of the corner spots in the major leagues.”
Cherington has previously indicated the team’s interest in Cespedes, who is supposedly 26 years old. But while his age may be in question, his talent is not.
“He’s certainly an intriguing talent, a guy who has performed in Cuba,” Cherington told ESPN. “He’s a right-handed hitting outfielder with tools and power, and he has been impressive in some workouts.”
Since he is an international player, Cespedes would become a free agent as soon as he irons out some paperwork with Major League Baseball. Comcast Sports Net expects that once he establishes residence in the Dominican, that process will begin in “five to 15 days.”
Cherington is also expected to take a closer look at the Red Sox’ international operations while in the Dominican Republic, according to ESPN.
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