After six years, Cuban baseball player Yuli Gurriel has returned to the Minor Leagues to take a turn at bat with the Gwinnett Stripers, the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. Gurriel, who recently joined the Braves organization, signed a Minor League contract with the team after being without a team for several months.
The last time Gurriel played in the Minor Leagues was in the 2018 season, when he took 21 at-bats in five Double-A games while still with the Houston Astros. On Wednesday, Gurriel went 0 for 2 with two walks, bringing his total hits in the Minors to 23, including two home runs and 17 RBIs.
Since the end of the 2023 MLB season, Gurriel ended his contract with the Miami Marlins and was without a team throughout the offseason. It seemed as though his days in the Major Leagues were over, but now he has the opportunity to prove himself once again with the Braves.
Although it may seem that Gurriel’s glory days are behind him, he still has his sights set on important milestones in home runs, hits, games played, and RBIs. He is only two home runs away from reaching 100 in his MLB career, a feat achieved by few Cuban baseball players.
While the Braves have a strong lineup, Gurriel is determined to make his mark and increase his legacy in the sport. Cuban sports fans can stay updated on Gurriel’s journey by joining the Play Off Magazine Telegram channel and subscribing to the Play Off-Magazine YouTube Channel for exclusive stories on Cuban sports.
Image courtesy of Photo: FEPCUBE.