BOSTON (AP) – Catcher Alberto Castillo, an 11-year major league veteran, was among eight players who agreed Wednesday to minor league contracts by the Boston Red Sox.

Pitcher Travis Hughes, infielders Jeff Bailey, Luis Jimenez, Joe McEwing, Ed Rogers and Bobby Scales and outfielder Kerry Robinson also agreed to contracts.

The 36-year-old Castillo hit .268 in 88 games last season at Washington’s Triple-A team in New Orleans. He reached the majors in 1995 with the New York Mets, spending four years with them before moving to St. Louis, Toronto, the New York Yankees, San Francisco, Kansas City and Oakland.

In 407 major-league games, he hit .222.

The right-handed Hughes was 0-0 with a 6.35 ERA in eight games last year with Washington.

Last season, Bailey led Pawtucket with 22 homers and 82 RBIs, while McEwing spent the season in the Houston organization, batting .315 at Triple-A Round Rock and going hitless in six at bats with the Astros.

Rogers spent the last nine seasons in the Baltimore organization, Scales was in the Philadelphia system last year and Robinson was in the Kansas City organization in 2006.

AP-ES-12-20-06 1833EST


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