Former Serie Nacional player Yuniesky Gurriel’s Hitting Academy has generated a buzz in the business of preparing players in this vital part of the game. Team Piña Power under the tutelage of the eldest of the Gurriel brothers has earned this reputation with a lot of dedication, hard work, determination and perseverance.
Its charter members are Gurriel’s younger brothers, major leaguers Yuli and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Both have shown that the system of the first-born of the Gurriel clan has impacted their performances in the Major Leagues (MLB).
Thanks to the recognition of their work, more renowned baseball players have decided to approach the work of the Piña Power Academy. Such are the cases of JC Escarra (Yankees), Mauricio Dubon (Houston), Dairon Blanco (Kansas City), Santiago Espinal (Reds), Ezequiel Tovar (Colorado), Brian Roccio (Cleveland), Yiddi Cappe (Marlins), amongst others .
Whether from the big Leagus, the minor leagues or young talents looking for their first signing as a professional, to be included in that academy to improve their hitting mechanics has no prequisites. Gurriel’s doors are open to anyone and everyone with a desire to improve their craft.
How did you become a hitting coach?
It was a long road. I arrived in this country and had nothing to do. I wasn’t playing anymore. A friend told me that I should dedicate myself to doing something, get to work. One day I went to see my brothers practice and when we got in the car I told them that I was going to be their hitting coach.
Was it by choice?
Between laughter and things, I started to study, to analyze. I had never been a coach for anyone. Everything I had was from the game. For this I say that there is a God up there and things were given to me little by little. A university coach called me to be part of his staff. I was there for two years as a hitting coach. It went well and I told myself that this was my thing.
Is that what made you go into business for yourself?
I started my business with two children of a friend of my father. At the same time my two brothers started and today there a lot a few of us around here.
Did your brothers accept you as a coach because of family support or because of real talent?
Yuli told me that the start and we went from there. My brothers love me and I love them as well, but you have to be very naive to trust anyone with your career just because they are a brother. Things are not like that. I spent a whole year working with children and Yunito then told me: ‘next year I’m going to work with you, because I like what you’re doing. Then they both started to work with me together.
What did your father, Lourdes, think of everything that was happening?
He joined me. He started helping me, supporting me. He gave me advice. He gave me the best advice for this business: when you are working, the first thing you should do is appreciate the effort of whoever is paying you for that class. When you appreciate that, your classes will be better every day. He also told me that when I got home that I should do so with a clear conscience and to always give my best. I have carried that advice over time.
In such a competitive business, what has been your key to success?
There are many coaches and I think we all do a good job. The difference is in how the player identifies with you. If you can achieve chemistry with a player, things will go well for you. We are all good coaches in Miami and we are full of players. It’s not that Yunieski has all the players. We all have work, the players are happy. The difference is definitely in the chemistry.
Yunito is younger, Yuli is a veteran, do you do differentiate in the way you work with them?
They is a definite age differences, but they both participate in training as if they were equal. The advantage I have with Yuli is that he can share all of his experience with Yunito. Yunito, for his part, adds all the energy to the workouts. One feeds off the other. The three of us love working together and thank God it has gone well for us.
Does Yuli still have anything left in the tank?
I only tell everyone who asks me that the only thing they have to do is come and see him train. Watch him train and you tell me if the guy is ready or not. Last year they thought he couldn’t and we saw him hitting 100 mile per hour pitches as if he were 20 years old.
What is your ultimate goal?
My goal is when they talk about hitting that my name be mentioned there. When talking about hitting coaches, people say: Yuni. Not before this one or the other one, but I would like to have my name mentioned in that little group there.