After recently being declared a free agent by Major League Baseball, Cuban star Yulieski Gourriel has agreed to terms on a contract with the Houston Astros.
Per MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez, Gourriel’s agreement with the Astros is for $47.5 million over five years.
Gourriel defected from Cuba in February with the goal of playing in MLB, per Sanchez.
Once he was declared a free agent on June 13, bidding was open to all 30 teams. He was exempt from usual international spending rules because of his age (32) and having more than five years of experience in Serie Nacional.
Even though Gourriel has not played in a professional game since 2015, scouting reports believe that he is ready to step onto an MLB field quickly.
Dave Defreitas of 2080Baseball.com broke down Gourriel’s strengths as a player, which largely rest on his exceptional hitting abilities, based on evaluations from 2014 when he played in the Nippon Professional Baseball League:
He proceeded to hit .305 with an OPS of .894, including 11 HRs and 22 doubles in 239 ABs with Yokohama. This was the player scouts were expecting to see the year before. He showed good actions, above-average bat speed, and continued showing power to the middle of the field. He still showed off a solid above-average arm and what should translate to a solid-average defense at third base in the big leagues.
John Manuel of Baseball America said Gourriel has “classic third base tools with arm strength, body control and plus power.”
Gourriel may have added leverage in his negotiations: At this point in the year, with teams seeking trades to upgrade their rosters, clubs had to give up only money, not prospects, in order to acquire him.
There’s also the matter of next winter’s crop of free agents being particularly weak. Jose Bautista is the big name in the group, but he’s going to be 36 in October. Edwin Encarnacion turns 34 in January. Ian Desmond, who is having a terrific bounce-back season in Texas, will likely be the best player available.
This was the perfect time for Gourriel to be declared a free agent and maximize his earnings potential as a 32-year-old.
The Astros are an interesting fit for Gourriel because they don’t have an opening at third base since Luis Valbuena is playing well. Carlos Correa is also capable of sliding over to the position if the team wants to call up top prospect Alex Bregman to play shortstop down the stretch.
Bregman is also an option at third base if the Astros believe that Correa’s defense at shortstop is not a concern. Jose Altuve is locked in at second base, so Gourriel could potentially fill a corner outfield spot.
It’s never a bad thing to have too many hitters, especially for a team in the pennant race that could potentially look to upgrade its roster before the trade deadline, but Gourriel doesn’t seem to be joining a situation that will give him a lot of at-bats in the near future.
Finding a hitter, especially at this point in the season, is often difficult because teams only have so much money available and dealing prospects has become increasingly taboo since they are more cost-effective than spending in free agency.
Cuban defectors have a mixed track record in MLB. Yoenis Cespedes and Jose Abreu are among the great success stories. Yasiel Puig has been dogged by injuries and inconsistent play over the last two years. Rusney Castillo’s tenure with the Boston Red Sox ended when he was waived less than two years after signing a $72 million deal.
Gourriel is the next player on that list who will have sky-high expectations. He will have pressure on him as soon as he laces up the cleats, but his natural ability and advanced age give him the experience needed to be a quality big leaguer for the next few years.
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