PawSox Outfielder Rusney Castillo Named to 2018 International League All-Star Team

The Pawtucket Red Sox, in conjunction with the International League, are pleased to announce today that PawSox outfielder Rusney Castillo  has been elected to the 2018 post-season International League All-Star Team. It marks the second straight year that Rusney has made the year-end IL All-Star Team. The post-season All-Star Team and Award Winners are selected by the league's managers, coaches, media, and club representatives. 

Castillo, 31, currently has a 9 point lead in the International League batting race as he looks to become the first Pawtucket player to win the IL Batting Title in 37 years…since Wade Boggs hit .335 in 1981. Rusney, who is hitting .323 on the season, has the lead in the race over Joey Meneses of Lehigh Valley who is at .314 with seven games remaining for both players. Castillo (150) also leads the league in hits over Meneses (145). Rusney is bidding to join some select company and become the 6^th PawSox player to win the IL Batting Championship following…Juan Beniquez (.298 in 1973), Jim Rice (.337 in 1974), Wayne Harer (.350 in 1977 - the highest batting average in PawSox history), Garry Hancock (.325 in 1979), and Boggs (.335 in 1981).
Furthermore, Castillo's 150 hits are already the most by a PawSox player in a single-season in 10 years since INF Joe Thurston had 160 hits in 2008. The club-record for Most Hits in a season is 169 set by Dave Stapleton in 1979. 
In addition to leading the International League in batting and hits, Rusney is 5^th in the league in at-bats (465), tied for 3^rd in doubles (30), and 5^th in total bases (195). Furthermore in 103 games in the outfield (most in centerfield) he has yet to commit an error and is the league-leader in fielding pct. among all outfielders (0 errors in 230 total chances with 4 assists). Castillo is also the team leader in batting, games (115), at-bats, runs (55), doubles, RBI (58), and stolen bases (13).
Rusney was signed by the Red Sox as an international free agent on August 23, 2014 after five standout seasons in Cuba's major league, Serie Nacional where he hit .319 with 51 HR. This is his fifth season in the Red Sox organization. In parts of four seasons with Pawtucket he currently owns a career PawSox average of .299 in 345 games (407-for-1363). He helped the PawSox win the 2014 Governors' Cup as his game-tying RBI single with two outs in the top of the 9^th-inning of Game 4 in Durham staved off elimination and enabled the PawSox to win the Cup in Game 5. Rusney has spent parts of 2014, 2015, and 2016 with Boston and in 99 games with the Red Sox he has a career major league average of .262 with 7 HR & 35 RBI. 
Some notable PawSox year-end International League All-Stars include: outfielders Jim Rice & Fred Lynn (1974), 3B Butch Hobson (1976), SS Glenn Hoffman & 3B Dave Stapleton (1979), LHP Bob Ojeda (1981), 2B Marty Barrett (1982), 3B Steve Lyons (1984), OF Mike Greenwell (1986), SS Tim Naehring (1990), 3B Scott Cooper (1991), RHP Aaron Sele (1993), RHP Bronson Arroyo (2003), C Kelly Shoppach (2004 & 2005), INF Dustin Pedroia (2006), SS Jose Iglesias (2012), RHP Anthony Ranaudo (2014), OF Chris Marrero (2016), and outfielders Rusney Castillo & Bryce Brentz (2017). 

CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE LIST OF 2018 INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE ALL-STARS