Red Sox's Castillo granted work visa, eligible for call-up

Boston officially signed Cuban outfielder Rusney Castillo last week and he now has his U.S. work visa, permitting the Red Sox to call him up for September.

Castillo reportedly obtained his visa Thursday, according to Roc Nation Sports CEO Juan Perez.

With the visa issue resolved, Castillo is immediately eligible to play for the Red Sox. "As soon as they feel he's ready they'll bring him up," Perez said.

"They'll work him out, see where he's at. But Ben [Cherington, the Sox GM] said at the press conference that they'll call him up in September, and I trust Ben."

The 27-year-old signed a seven-year, $72.5-million contract.

Castillo is ready to put the work in to become a regular in the team's lineup, as he told Boston.com: "[Yoenis Cespedes] made me aware that it’s basically the same game we've played in Cuba and success here will come down to working and grinding away at a day-to-day level."

The outfielder's first order of business when he arrived in the U.S. on June 25 was to attend Jay Z and Beyonce's On The Run tour, according to Perez. "He landed and went right to the show. That was the first time Jay Z laid eyes on him. Jay Z welcomed him to the States."