DETROIT -- Rusney Castillo, a coveted 27-year-old Cuban defector, is reportedly in the process of sifting through a handful of offers from major league clubs.

One of the offers he's weighing is believed to be from the Detroit Tigers.

The Tigers are viewed as "major players" for Castillo by others in the industry, according to the New York Post's Joel Sherman, and are expected to have extended the five-tool outfielder an offer, MLB.com reported Friday.

The Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles have also been linked to Castillo, who is reportedly expected to make a decision early next week.

The Tigers were among 28 teams and 100 baseball officials who scouted Castillo during his workout in late July, and reportedly held a private workout with Castillo in Miami last Sunday.

According to MLB.com, the Tigers held meetings earlier this week with several evaluators who attended Castillo's workout, including international scouting director Tom Moore and South Florida scout Nick Avila.

Castillo would seemingly serve as a solid replacement in center for Austin Jackson, who was traded to the Seattle Mariners as part of a three-team blockbuster deal that brought David Price to Detroit last month.

However, there's question as to whether Castillo will be ready to play this season as he has yet to obtain a work visa, which is needed by Aug. 31 in order to achieve postseason eligibility. He currently has a visitor's visa, according to Sherman.

Players must be on a team's roster before Aug. 31 to be playoff-eligible.

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