Rusney Castillo of the Boston Red Sox poses for a portrait during Boston Red Sox Photo Day at JetBlue Park at Fenway South on February 19, 2019 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Cuban outfielder Rusney Castillo signed with the Conspiradores de Querétaro in the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol, Ariel Santa Cruz of Pelota Cubana USA reported on January 16.
Six other Cuban born players, Leonys Martín, Roberto Baldoquín, Miguel Romero, Carlos Juan Viera, Yosmany Guerra and Rubi Silva, have also signed with the Conspiradores de Querétaro for the 2024 LMB season.
The upcoming season will be Castillo’s second in the LMB.
The Conspiradores de Querétaro will play their inaugural season in Liga Mexicana de Beisbol in 2024 at Estadio Conspiradores in Huimilpan, Querétaro, Mexico.
Castillo, 36, was born in Ciego de Avila, Cuba, andplayed three seasons in Major League Baseball with the Boston Red Sox from 2014-16.
Castillo had committed to play in the 2024 Serie Nacional season in Cuba with the Cocodrilos de Matanzas, Francys Romero reported on September 20.
Castillo helped the Cocodrilos de Matanzas make it to the 2023-24 Elite League season best-of-seven championship series against the Cazadores de Artemisa in his first season back in Cuba since he left the country following the 2012-13 season. During the 2023-24 winter league season, Castillo had 99 plate appearances, batting .360 with 32 hits, seven doubles, six walks, 14 strikeouts and a .822 OPS.
Castillo was selected in the 2023 Baseball United Draft in the fifth round by the Abu Dhabi Falcons last October. Castillo did not play in the 2023 Baseball United Showcase in November at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Last season, Castillo batted .279 with the Mariachis de Guadalajara in LMB in 13 games with 12 hits, three doubles, five RBI, three stolen bases, two walks, and six strikeouts before he was released on June 2.
During the 2022-23 winter league season with the Cangrejeros de Santurce in Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente in Puerto Rico, Castillo played in 43 games with 166 plate appearances batting .283 smacking 41 hits, five doubles, eight RBI, 13 walks,
In the 2022 season in the Atlantic League with the Long Island Ducks and the Staten Island FerryHawks, Castillo played in 100 games with 411 plate appearances batting .297 recording 110 hits, 10 doubles, six home runs, 47 RBI, 28 walks, and 37 strikeouts including a .726 OPS.
The 2024 Liga Mexicana de Beisbol regular season will open with the Diablos Rojos del México facing the Pericos de Puebla at Estadio de Béisbol Hermanos Serdán in Puebla on April 11.
The Conspiradores de Querétaro will play their first game of the 2024 LMB season on April 12 against the Tigres de Quintana Roo on the road at Estadio de Beisbol Beto Ávila in Cancun, Mexico.