Predictions Entering Yankees Spring Training

The Yankees will pass on Yulieski Gourriel and Alexei Bell

The Yankees have spent $0 on signing major-league players this off-season, they aren’t recently known for their involvement in signing big pieces out of Cuba, and their roster is currently filled at every starting role. The outlook isn’t too good for Yulieski Gourriel or Alexei Bell joining the team.

Yulieski and his brother, Lourdes Gourriel Jr., are both seeking a shot at playing in the MLB as they attempt to defect from Cuba. Yulieski has put up impressive numbers during his time in Cuba, but at 31-years old he wouldn’t fit the Yankees’ MO of getting much younger. Besides, his two primary positions of 2B and 3B are blocked by Starlin Castro and Chase Headley, respectively.

Yulieski’s favored landing spot may be with the Yankees since he reportedly wishes to play alongside his baseball idol, Alex Rodriguez. But while Yulieski may be interested in the Yankees, they don’t have the room to be interested in him.

The same goes for Bell as he tries to make his way to an MLB club. We learned from Ken Rosenthal that the Yankees were one of 13 teams that did their homework by sending scouts to observe Bell in a recent showcase. But just looking over Bell’s statistical chart gives you the notion that he already hit his prime in Cuba. For a 5-foot-7 outfielder, Bell put on a show in 2011 when he hit .327 with 18 homers and 69 RBIs; but he has yet to hit more than eight bombs ever since–and only hit two in 2015 over 224 at-bats. Bell (32) is the same age as the Yankees’ current youngest outfield starters, Brett Gardner and Jacoby Ellsbury, so that’s not much help with the youth movement either.

With Aaron Hicks eyeing plenty of playing time this season, only one outfield position coming off the board after 2016 when Carlos Beltran reaches the end of his contract, and Aaron Judge waiting in the wings to take over, Bell is crowded out of the Yankees’ plans.

Next: Who earns the final roster spot?