Who Am I?
Yulieski Gurriel
Infielder
Age: 32
Height: 6′ 0″
Weight: 190
Bats right, throws right
How Did I Get Here?
Gurriel was signed by the Astros as a free agent on July 16, 2016; he debuted on August 21.
Why Am I Here?
Gurriel was signed to play third base. A funny thing happened on the way to that goal: Alex Bregman looked like one hell of a third baseman. So Gurriel has picked up a first baseman’s mitt and will start the season in the footsteps of Astro legends Jeff Bagwell, Lance Berkman, and D. WARD.
What Are My Strengths?
Gurriel was one of the most feared hitters in Cuba for over a decade. He hit 20 homers when he was 20 years old – and keep in mind, the Cuban season is shorter. The bidding on him as an MLB free agent went as high as it did for a reason.
What Are My Weaknesses?
He didn’t show any of that power upon his arrival in Houston. Part of the issue appeared to be that he was not getting any elevation on the ball; perhaps a minor mechanical change to his swing path is in order.
Loves to hit: We don’t have much of a sample size, but he saw curveballs very well – going 5 for 15 with 2 doubles and a homer.
Hates to hit: Surprisingly, Gurriel had a reverse split against lefties, going only .220/.220/.317 in 41 AB against southpaws.
What is my projected 2017 performance?
| PA | BA | OBP | SLG | H | HR | RBI | SB | CS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 137 | .262 | .292 | .385 | 34 | 3 | 15 | 1 | 1 |
| PECOTA | 535 | .253 | .296 | .393 | 126 | 13 | 56 | 7 | 3 |
| ZIPS | 525 | .254 | .325 | .457 | 119 | 21 | 75 | 3 | 1 |
| MMWAG | 530 | .275 | .340 | .475 | 145 | 25 | 85 | 3 | 1 |
Not surprisingly, there’s quite a difference in projecting a 32-year old hitter with only 130 at bats outside of Cuba. But that difference is quite stark. The average first baseman last year posted a .259/.337/.453 shah line last year; so you’re likely looking at the difference between “league average” and “losing your job to AJ Reed.”
Who else would I remind you of?
I honestly haven’t seen enough of him for a good comp. But Mike Lamb showed up on his comp list at Baseball Prospectus, and it’s always to hear from our old friend Clank.