Yulieski Gurriel, Infield, Miami Marlins

Date of Birth: 6/9/1984
Birthplace: Sancti Spiritus, Cuba

Yulieski Gurriel, infielder for the Miami Marlins, began his professional baseball career in Cuba. From there, he went to play in Japan in 2014 and 2015. He defected from Cuba in February, 2016, and he signed with the Houston Astros on July 16, 2016.

Gurriel played in 36 games with the Astros in 2016. He had a .262 batting average with 34 hits. Defensively, he played 5 games at first base, 21 games at third base, and 1 game in left field.

Gurriel had a strong first full season with the Astros in 2017. He batted .299 with 158 hits, 43 doubles, 18 home runs, and 75 RBIs in 139 games. Defensively, as the Astros' first baseman in 131 games, he made 90 assists, 116 double plays, 991 putouts, and 8 errors.

Gurriel continued to play well in the 2017 postseason. He batted .304 with 21 hits, including 2 home runs, and 8 RBIs in 69 at-bats in 18 games. In Game 3 of the World Series, he gave the Astros a 1-0 lead in the 2nd inning with a home run. He tied up Game 5 with a three-run home run off Clayton Kershaw in the 4th inning.

Gurriel had another good year in 2018, batting .291 in 136 games. He had 156 hits, 33 doubles, 13 home runs, 85 RBIs, and 63 strikeouts to 23 walks. Defensively, as the Astros' first baseman in 109 games, he made 48 assists, 61 double plays, 770 putouts, and 4 errors. In the postseason, he had 7 hits, 2 doubles, 1 home run, and 3 RBIs in 31 at-bats in 8 games.

Gurriel continued to play well in 2019. He finished the season with 168 hits, 40 doubles, 31 home runs, 104 RBIs, 65 strikeouts to 37 walks, and a .298 batting average in 144 games. Defensively, as a first baseman in 110 games, he made 73 assists, 58 double plays, 728 putouts, and 3 errors. In the postseason, he had 18 hits, 3 doubles, 2 home runs, 13 RBIs, 1 stolen base, 5 strikeouts to 4 walks, and a .250 batting average in 72 at-bats in 18 games.

Gurriel played in 57 games in 2020. He finished the season with 49 hits, 12 doubles, 22 RBIs, 27 strikeouts to 12 walks, and a .232 batting average. Defensively, he played 55 games at first base. In the postseason, he had 5 hits in 44 at-bats in 13 games.

Gurriel won the AL batting title in 2021 with a .319 batting average. He had 169 hits, 31 doubles, 15 home runs, 81 RBIs, and 68 strikeouts to 59 walks in 143 games. He won his first Gold Glove as a first baseman for making 86 assists, 95 double plays, 1,057 putouts, and 6 errors in 142 games. In the postseason, he had 3 hits and 2 RBIs in 17 at-bats in 16 games.

Gurriel became a free agent on November 6, 2022. He signed a minor league contract with the Marlins on March 10, 2023.

Career batting statistics for Gurriel through 2021 include:

• 655 games played
• 734 hits
• 166 doubles
• 382 RBIs
• 297 strikeouts to 158 walks
• .293 batting average

Career fielding statistics for Gurriel at first base through 2021 include:

• 552 games played
• 351 assists
• 379 double plays
• 3,993 putouts
• 22 errors
• .995 fielding percentage

Personal Life

Gurriel's father was a professional baseball player in Cuba. His brother, Lourdes Gurriel, Jr., defected with Yulieski. He is currently in the Toronto Blue Jays' system.

Sources for Information
Wikipedia - Yulieski Gurriel
MiLB - Yulieski Gurriel