Yulieski Gurriel
Yuliesky Gourriel Castillo (born June 9, 1984), commonly known as Yuli Gurriel, is a Cuban professional baseball first baseman for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for Sancti Spiritus in the Cuban league. A former member of Cuba's national team, Gurriel played shortstop, second base and third base, but has played mostly first base with the Astros.
The son of former Cuban player Lourdes Gurriel, Yulieski was regarded as the best player in Cuba in 2006. At the World Baseball Classic in 2006, Major League Baseball scouts projected that Gurriel would be a first-round draft pick if he were eligible for the draft. He defected from Cuba in 2016.
Gurriel had a solid season during the 2004–05 Cuban National Series, leading the league in hits and runs. However, he truly dominated in 2005–06, leading the series in RBIs, runs and triples. His 27 home runs, which also led the league, were one short of the record of 28. Gurriel's batting average was .327 and his slugging percentage was .676. He played his Cuban career with Sancti Spíritus and Industriales of the Cuban National Series.
Gurriel's contributions helped the national team win a gold medal in the 2004 Summer Olympics and World Cup of Baseball championships in 2003 and 2005. During the 2005 World Cup, he led all batters with eight home runs.
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