Yankees Could Still Land Younger Gurriel Brother

The Yankees missed out on Cuban infielder Yulieski Gurriel, but his younger brother Lourdes Gurriel could end up being a better fit for the club.

Signing free agent Cuban infielder Yulieski Gurriel always seemed a long shot for the Yankees despite his publicly stated preference to play in pinstripes. Although he ended up signing for a relatively modest five years and $47.5 million with the Houston Astros on Friday, that would still have represented the largest salary commitment the Yankees have made since Chase Headley’s four year $52 million deal in December of 2014.

With most of their infield locked into long term contracts, the truth is the Yankees simply had no place to put Gurriel, and they have lost their taste for spending for spending’s sake. He did participate in a private workout for New York, but that may have just been due diligence. Given where the club is right now, passing on the elder Gurriel probably makes sense.

His younger brother Lourdes, on the other hand, is still very much in play and could ultimately be the more valuable prize. Any team hoping to sign him will have to wait until at least October when he turns 23. At that point he will no longer be subject to international spending restrictions, which will greatly increase the number of clubs able to bid on him.

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Here’s what John Manuel of Baseball America had to say about the 22-year-old prospective major leaguer when he first defected to the US:

“Lourdes Jr…has shown above-average speed and defensive ability in the outfield, and scouts would like to see him give infield a try. The 6-foot-3, 185-pounder has long arms and some holes in his swing as a result but also has shown above-average power potential.”

During six seasons in the Cuban National Series, Gurriel hit .277/.362/.426 in 1098 career plate appearances. He doesn’t have the eye-popping numbers of his older brother, but it’s important to remember that the majority of that playing time came as a teenager playing against much older players. According to Baseball-Reference, Lourdes Jr. was between 6.8 and 9.8 years younger than his average competition during his time in Cuba.

Most recently, Gurriel hit .344/.407/.560 in 245 PA in 2015 as a 21-year-old. He popped a career-high 10 home runs and swiped eight bags as well. The power/speed combination is enticing, although he still could add some additional muscle to his lanky frame. Gurriel has played all four infield positions as well as the outfield in his career, so it’s not clear where he would fit best if the Yankees did sign him, but the versatility is a plus.

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While he doesn’t have the ceiling of Yoan Moncada, that situation could give a ballpark figure as to what it would take to land Lourdes Gurriel this offseason. Signing Moncada took a $31.5 million bonus. If Gurriel is willing to sign for a similar figure, maybe a bit less, then the Yankees could end up with six prime years of the younger Gurriel brother at a considerable discount from what it took to land five possible decline years from the elder.