Yesterday the Atlanta Braves and Cuban infielder Yuli Gurriel agreed on a minor league deal as per the report of the colleague Francys Romero. Gurriel played with the Miami Marlins last season hitting .245 with four home runs, 27 RBI and career high three triples in 108 games.
“La Piña” as he is known by the Cuban faithful has not only proven himself in the major leagues, but has also done so in the NPB with the DeNa Baystars in 2014 where he hit .305 will 11 dingers and 30 runs batted in. Gurriel was also a key figure for Cuba in international baseball from 2006 to 2016 starring in the World Baseball Classic, Serie del Caribe, Premier 12 and other important competitions on the world stage.
Infielder @el_yuly10 signs a minor league contract with the @Braves .@francysromeroFR first to report. #pelotacubana #MLB #BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/b2eWGJRBZ8
— Cuban Baseball Digest (@CBaseballDigest) April 13, 2024
The native of Sancti Spíritus, Cuba has had a storied career in MLB considering he defected from the island at 32 years of age, winning a batting title and a Gold Glove over his eight years in the big leagues. During his time on the grand stage he has slashed .281/.326/.440/.766 with 98 longballs, 222 doubles and 462 runs batted.
Gurriel who will more than likely start the season at Gwinnett (AAA) will be a key reserve for the Braves and will provide depth for an infield that lacks a true backup for Matt Olson. He might also serve as a mentor for young latin stars such as Ronald Acuña Jr, Ozzie Albies and Orlando Arcia. This addition will also reflect in the lockeroom for Atlanta, where that type of leadership might be lacking.