Report: Cuban star Yulieski Gourriel to workout with Yankees
Cuban star Yulieski Gourriel will participate in a private workout hosted by the Yankees next week at their spring training facility in Tampa, Fla., according to George King of the New York Post. Gourriel, 32, who was recently declared a free agent by Major League Baseball, played 15 seasons between Cuba and Japan, and hit .335 with 250 home runs and 1,018 runs batted in. Considered as a third baseman, Gourriel has also played second base, and could be open to playing at first, per King's report. While Gourriel has told the media that his favorite team is the Yankees and that his favorite player is Alex Rodriguez, Gourriel's New York connection is Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman, another Cuban national team defector. In early May, Gourriel inquired about life in New York with Chapman via a telephone conversation. "He was a good teammate," Chapman told NJ.com on May 13. "Besides being a good player, he's a good person. He would share moments with us. He would hang out outside of baseball and he was just a good teammate."
According to some scouts, Gourriel won't be ready for the majors until next season, but others believe he could contribute for a contender this summer. “This is not a rookie," Chapman told King. "He has all the qualities needed to be a good player at this level. He is a really good player and a really good person. He is a great contact hitter with power, a quality swing.’’ The price for Gourriel has yet to be announced, but his value is projected to be in the $30 million-range, or even higher, and with second baseman Starlin Castro due $31 million by 2019 and third baseman Chase Headley due $26 million through 2018, a deal between Gourriel and the Yankees may be unsuitable. On Friday, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman declined to address the interest in Gourriel, according to King.