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Sox may prefer Soler to Cespedes

Print | Comments () Posted by Nick Cafardo, Globe Staff January 4, 2012 01:26 PM

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The Red Sox have scouted and are impressed with both Cuban defectors Yoennis Cespedes and Jorge Soler, but it appears the Red Sox will likely pass on the huge dollars it may take to sign Cespedes and bid for Soler instead, according to a major league source.

Soler, 19, is a 6-3 slender right-handed hitting centerfielder, who needs more seasoning compared to the Major League-ready Cespedes, who is 26 and ready to step into someone's outfield.

Cespedes,a righthanded power hitter, is projected to be more of a leftfielder at Fenway. The Red Sox are looking for a righthanded hitting rightfielder.

The Red Sox and a few other teams have started to study the cost of Cespedes, an unproven free-agent who has not played against Major League-caliber competition. The money is said to be over $30 million on a four or five year deal and there's also talk of longer term demands.