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Houston Astros first baseman Yulieski Gurriel announced on twitter that he is coming back to Houston, expressing optimism and excitement.
Happy and grateful to announce that I’ve been informed by the team, that I’ll be an Astro next season. I’ll be back in H-Town in ‘22. Let’s go get it! #ForTheH
— Yulieski Gurriel (@el_yuly10) November 5, 2021
Yulieski Gurriel was integral to the Astros success in 2021, posting a career high .318 batting average. He was just as important during the post season. Particularly during the ALCS, when he batted .455, going 10-22 with a home run and six runs batted in.
Had fellow Cuban Yordan Álvarez not destroyed Red Sox pitching, it might have been Gurriel winning ALCS MVP honors.
Gurriel's journey to the majors is an interesting one. Son of Lourdes Gurriel, Yuli was thought to be the best baseball player in Cuba in 2006. Gurriel played in the World Baseball Classic that year. Major League Baseball scouts projected him to be a first-round pick. But he was not eligible to be drafted.
10 years later, along with his brother, Gurriel moved to Haiti to establish residency. It was there he first met future teammate Yordan Álvarez. Later that year, he was signed a 5-year, $47.5 million contract with the Houston Astros. He played sparingly that season, but in 2017, made a strong impact.
In 2017, Gurriel hit .299 with 18 home runs and 75 runs batted in. He finished 4th in Rookie of the Year voting. During the playoffs, Gurriel helped lead Houston past Boston in the ALDS, hitting .529 that series. That helped propel the Astros to their first ever World Series title.
This year, Gurriel won the American League batting crown. Despite being overshadowed by teammates Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez, Carlos Correa and Alex Bregman, he showed up when it mattered most and looks to do it again next season.
