Mets star Carlos Beltran proud of cousin Reymond Fuentes, drafted in 1st round by Red Sox

Mets’ Beltran proud of cousin drafted in 1st round

NEW YORK — Carlos Beltran couldn’t help himself.

Busy with a game against Philadelphia, he wanted a quick update on baseball’s amateur draft Tuesday night. There was one particular prospect he was curious about.

When the New York Mets’ star finally found what he was looking for, it brought a big smile to his face.

The Boston Red Sox selected Beltran’s cousin, Reymond Fuentes, with the 28th pick in the first round. The 18-year-old Fuentes is an athletic center fielder with impressive speed, just like that famous guy in the family. Both came out of Fernando Callejo High School in Puerto Rico.

“I’m very proud of him,” Beltran said Wednesday. “I believe he’s going to make it to the big leagues.”

Beltran said he has trained with Fuentes in Puerto Rico and was most impressed with the kid’s work ethic. As soon as he heard the news, the slugger called his cousin from the Mets’ clubhouse — in the middle of a 6-5 victory over the Phillies — to congratulate him.

“I told him, ‘As hard as you’ve worked so far, you’re going to have to work double to get where you want to go,’” Beltran said. “I’m going to do everything I can to help him out.”

Baseball America said Fuentes projects as “an ideal leadoff hitter” and compared him to Yankees outfielder Johnny Damon, a former Red Sox star.

“I consider myself very similar to Carlos. When he’s playing, he just plays the game and nothing else,” Fuentes said on a conference call with Boston reporters. “When I play, I am very focused. I do what I have to do. I don’t pay any attention to anything outside the game. I just play ball.”

Fuentes already has a leg up on his older cousin in one way, though — Beltran wasn’t taken until the second round by Kansas City in 1995.

Beltran said the signing bonus Fuentes is likely to receive will make an enormous difference for his family.

“They’re very excited. It’s life-changing for them. They’re not rich people. They’re basically poor,” Beltran said.

The 32-year-old Beltran, who signed a $119 million, seven-year contract with the Mets as a free agent in January 2005, is glad Fuentes was drafted by a strong organization such as the Red Sox.

Beltran saw this day coming, too. He said he told Mets vice president for player development Tony Bernazard two years ago that he had a teenage cousin who was going to be good.

He said Bernazard went to Puerto Rico for a look and returned with a complimentary report.

“He said, ‘You’re right,’” Beltran said. “‘He’s got a lot of tools.’”

The Mets never had a shot at Fuentes in the draft. Their first pick came in the second round, No. 72 overall. They selected left-hander Steven Matz from Ward Melville High School on Long Island, about an hour drive from Citi Field.

AP Sports Writer Jimmy Golen in Boston contributed to this report.