Yuli Gurriel

Yuli Gurriel

40-Year-Old First Baseman1B
 Free Agent  
Free Agent
2024 Fantasy Outlook
There was no outlook written for Yuli Gurriel in 2024. Check out the latest news below for more on his current fantasy value.
RANKS
Rest of Season
From Preseason
#362
ADP
$Signed a one-year contract with Atlanta in April of 2024. Traded to the Royals in August of 2024.
Idle Saturday
1BKansas City Royals  
September 28, 2024
Gurriel isn't in Kansas City's lineup for Saturday's game against Atlanta.
ANALYSIS
Gurriel will give way to Garrett Hampson at first base Saturday after going 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout during Friday's series opener.
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Batting Stats
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Batting Order Slot Breakdown
vs Right-Handed Pitchers
vs RHP
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
1
1
2
4
2
vs Left-Handed Pitchers
vs LHP
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
2
3
2
Left/Right Batting Splits
Since 2022
 
 
+5%
OPS vs LHP
2024
 
 
+131%
OPS vs RHP
2023
 
 
+8%
OPS vs RHP
2022
 
 
+22%
OPS vs LHP
OPS PA R HR RBI SB AVG OBP SLG
Since 2022vs Left .675 313 25 5 34 5 .247 .300 .375
Since 2022vs Right .642 665 67 7 52 8 .241 .295 .347
2024vs Left .354 27 0 0 3 1 .095 .259 .095
2024vs Right .819 38 7 0 3 0 .333 .395 .424
2023vs Left .630 105 8 1 11 1 .250 .314 .315
2023vs Right .678 224 24 3 16 3 .243 .299 .379
2022vs Left .740 181 17 4 20 3 .265 .298 .441
2022vs Right .606 403 36 4 33 5 .232 .283 .323
More Splits View More Split Stats
Home/Away Batting Splits
Since 2022
 
 
+4%
OPS on Road
2024
 
 
+35%
OPS at Home
2023
 
 
+8%
OPS on Road
2022
 
 
+5%
OPS on Road
OPS PA R HR RBI SB AVG OBP SLG
Since 2022Home .640 464 41 3 37 5 .245 .304 .336
Since 2022Away .663 514 51 9 49 8 .241 .290 .373
2024Home .733 31 3 0 2 0 .308 .387 .346
2024Away .544 34 4 0 4 1 .179 .294 .250
2023Home .634 154 14 1 14 1 .234 .299 .336
2023Away .687 175 18 3 13 3 .255 .309 .379
2022Home .632 279 24 2 21 4 .245 .297 .335
2022Away .661 305 29 6 32 4 .240 .279 .382
More Splits View More Split Stats
Stat Review
How does Yuli Gurriel compare to other hitters?
This section compares his stats with all batting seasons from the previous three seasons (minimum 400 plate appearances)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.

* Exit Velocity and Barrels/PA % are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 400 PA) and Hard Hit Rate is benchmarked against last season's data (min 400 PA). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
  • BB/K
    Walk to strikeout ratio
  • BB Rate
    The percentage of plate appearances resulting in a walk.
  • K Rate
    The percentage of plate appearances resulting in a strikeout.
  • BABIP
    Batting average on balls in play. Measures how many of a batter’s balls in play go for hits.
  • ISO
    Isolated Power. Slugging percentage minus batting average. A computation used to measure a batter's raw power.
  • AVG
    Batting average. Hits divided by at bats.
  • OBP
    On Base Percentage. A measure of how often a batters reaches base. Roughly equal to number of times on base divided by plate appearances.
  • SLG
    Slugging Percentage. A measure of the batting productivity of a hitter. It is calculated as total bases divided by at bats.
  • OPS
    On base plus slugging. THe sum of a batter's on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
  • wOBA
    Weighted on-base average. Measures a player's overall offensive contributions per plate appearance. wOBA combines all the different aspects of hitting into one metric, weighting each of them in proportion to their actual run value.
  • Exit Velocity
    The speed of the baseball as it comes off the bat, immediately after a batter makes contact.
  • Hard Hit Rate
    A measure of contact quality from Sports Info Solutions. This stat explains what percentage of batted balls were hit hard vs. medium or soft.
  • Barrels/PA
    The percentage of plate appearances where a batter had a batted ball classified as a Barrel. A Barrel is a batted ball with similar exit velocity and launch angle to past ones that led to a minimum .500 batting average and 1.500 slugging percentage.
  • Expected BA
    Expected Batting Average.
  • Expected SLG
    Expected Slugging Percentage.
  • Sprint Speed
    The speed of a runner from home to first, in feet per second.
  • Ground Ball %
    The percentage of balls put in play that are on the ground.
  • Line Drive %
    The percentage of balls put in play that are line drives.
  • Fly Ball %
    The percentage of balls put in play that are fly balls.
BB/K
0.60
 
BB Rate
13.8%
 
K Rate
23.1%
 
BABIP
.317
 
ISO
.056
 
AVG
.241
 
OBP
.338
 
SLG
.296
 
OPS
.635
 
wOBA
.291
 
Exit Velocity
90.3 mph
 
Hard Hit Rate
36.1%
 
Barrels/PA
1.5%
 
Expected BA
.257
 
Expected SLG
.339
 
Sprint Speed
22.3 ft/sec
 
Ground Ball %
43.9%
 
Line Drive %
26.8%
 
Fly Ball %
29.3%
 
Advanced Batting Stats
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Additional Stats
Games By Position
Defensive Stats
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Batted Ball Stats
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Stats Vs Upcoming Pitchers
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Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Yuli Gurriel See More
The Z Files: NFBC Postseason Hold'em Contest
35 days ago
The NFBC's Postseason Hold'em contest kicks off at the start of the Division Series, and its scoring system leads to some unusual rankings.
The Z Files: Generic MLB Playoff Ranks by Position
39 days ago
Todd Zola provides some player rankings ahead of the playoffs, as Mookie Betts and the Dodgers take MLB's best record into the postseason.
AL FAAB Factor: Waiver Pickups of the Week
47 days ago
Erik Siegrist checks out the available talent in the AL heading into the final week of the regular season, and a favorable schedule could make Kyle Manzardo a strong roster addition.
Weekly Hitter Rankings: Last Ups
48 days ago
Ryan McMahon and the Rockies finish the season with six straight home games.
Lineup Lowdown: American League
52 days ago
Trevor Story is back from a long injury layoff and back in an everyday role, but he's yet to hit his way into the top half of the Boston lineup.
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2012
2011
2010
2008
2007
2006
2005
Gurriel delivered a career-best 132 wRC+ in 2021, but he was unable to replicate that last season and had a .242/.288/.360 slash line. He had a career-high eight stolen bases, but he clubbed only eight home runs and failed to provide much production otherwise for the Astros. He won a Gold Glove in 2021, but his defense also took a dive last year with minus-nine OAA. It's poor timing for the 38-year-old first baseman, who is now on the open market. Gurriel may have a difficult time finding an everyday role in free agency, and it's unclear whether he'll seriously consider retirement if his options are limited.
Gurriel turned in one of his best seasons in the twilight of his career when most drafters simply overlooked him. He was on the periphery of the first-base rankings last winter coming off his worst season to date, but most still thought he could resume his 2017-18 levels of hitting. He did that and a bit more as he ended up leading the AL in batting average while doubling his career walk rate and becoming a productive run producer in the lower half of the Houston lineup. He remains a high-contact hitter who hits the ball to all fields with varying levels of contact quality as he is just as likely to rope a baseball into the Crawford Boxes as he is to dink one into short right field. His 2019 power numbers are clearly an aberration, but other seasons show the high ceiling Gurriel provides heading into 2022. We cannot expect much more from a guy turning 38 in the first half of the season.
After Gurriel's power production spiked in 2019 without a matching improvement in his skills, regression was expected for 2020. That came to fruition, as his home-run pace over a full slate of plate appearances dipped from 31 to just over 15. On a positive note, Gurriel was able to maintain his contact skills, posting a contact rate at or above 86% for the third consecutive season. While his power isn't likely to spike again in 2021, Gurriel's batting average inexplicably fell to .232 in 2020, due at least in part to a .235 BABIP. That makes him a good bet to move back toward his .287 career average, even if his skills decline as he moves toward the end of his career. All told, however, Gurriel's skillset demands a high dependency on positive team context to build up counting stats, something worth noting with the Astros losing George Springer in free agency.
Gurriel set a new personal best in homers, clubbing 31, the same number he totaled the previous two seasons combined. Of all batters hitting at least 30 home runs, Gurriel's average flyball distance was the shortest. While average flyball distance correlates better to homers than average homer run distance, it's worth noting that Gurriel's average home run distance was second shortest to teammate Alex Bregman, both taking advantage of the ball and the Crawford boxes. Otherwise, it was business as usual, though Gurriel also set career bests in games and plate appearances. Unless the Astros decide to transition an outfielder to first, Gurriel should again be the primary first baseman while retaining dual eligibility at the hot corner. Beware, there's usually someone at the table influenced by recency bias and Gurriel is already a risk to drop back if the ball is closer to the 2018 version. Don't overpay.
The numbers may not jump off the page, but Gurriel had a fine season for fantasy purposes, finishing as a top-20 first baseman ahead of the likes of Joey Votto and Eric Hosmer. His defensive metrics were not exactly glowing, but his ability to at least hold his own around the infield gave the Astros some flexibility during absences of top stars Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa. He posted an 11.0% K-rate, which was an exact copy of his 2017 mark -- he did that despite a significant uptick in his O-Swing%. Gurriel improved dramatically against opposite-handed pitching, hitting .331/.371/.519 against lefties, up from .252/.300/.395 in 2017. He experienced a decline against right-handed pitching and an overall dip in power, but as he approaches his 35th birthday, Gurriel still has a solid foundation of skills. It seems like a decent bet that Gurriel, now third-base eligible, will clear 500 plate appearances again for Houston.
Gurriel fared well in his first opportunity to play regularly in the big leagues and he has the Astros' first-base gig locked down, but a hand injury and suspension will delay him to start 2018. The right-handed batter showcased above-average contact skills last year (84.2 percent contact rate, 11.0 strikeout rate), and a lot of it was quality contact (89.9 mph average exit velocity, 35.1 percent hard contact rate). Even with a measly 3.9 percent walk rate, he has an excellent batting-average floor, and there may even be a little room for growth if he figures out lefties (.252/.300/.395). Gurriel is no spring chicken, but this kind of offensive skill set yields bankable production and typically ages well. The lineup around him is so good to where his run and RBI totals should be fine even if he remains mostly confined to the bottom third of the batting order.
2016 was a whirlwind for Gurriel that began with him defecting from Cuba after the Caribbean World Series in February. By June, MLB had determined he was a free agent and by July, the Astros signed the 32-year-old to a five-year, $47.5 million deal. That is a significant chunk of money to spend on someone past their statistical prime years, but given the status of the current free agent market, it comes across as a bargain. He spent a week at multiple minor league levels before coming up to stay with Houston. Gurriel made quite a bit of contact having barely been exposed to major league pitching, but put up numbers that we associate with a reserve middle infielder. It is easier to project him hitting .290 than it is to say he will hit 20 homers.
One of the most celebrated Cuban baseball players in recent years, Gurriel is already 32 years old so he is likely past his peak. Still, he's thought to be quickly ready for the majors after signing with the Astros in July after defecting from Cuba in February.
Gourriel is regarded as Cuba's top baseball player and perhaps the top player in the world not playing in MLB or Japan. The third baseman made a strong impression in the 2009 WBC with two home runs. He's a player to grab in keeper leagues that allow international players, but he's given no hint he intends to defect.
Gourriel is regarded as Cuba's top baseball player and perhaps the top player in the world not playing in MLB or Japan. The third baseman made a strong impression in the 2009 WBC with two home runs. He's a player to grab in keeper leagues that allow international players, but he's given no hint he intends to defect.
Gourriel is regarded as Cuba's top baseball player and perhaps the top player in the world not playing in MLB or Japan. The third baseman made a strong impression in the 2009 WBC with two home runs. He's a player to grab in keeper leagues that allow international players.
Gourriel, Cuba's revelation of the 2006 World Baseball Classic, had another strong season in 2007. In the Cuban Serie Nacional, Gourriel hit .345/.427/.503 with eight home runs and a league-leading 28 doubles in 89 games, with an incredible 23:50 K:BB ratio in 348 at-bats. In major tournament play (the Pan-Am Games and World Cup) for the Cuban national team, Gourriel hit .276 (16-for-58) with four homers in 15 games. Gourriel, still just 23, will play for Cuba at the 2008 Olympics as well as WBC II in 2009, and we can always hope for that change in the political climate that would allow this talented player to join an MLB team. In dynasty leagues, he's well worth stashing away.
Gourriel proved at the WBC that he's one of the best ballplayers on the planet, leading Cuba to the title game and making the all-tourney team in the process. If there's ever a real change in the political situation in Cuba, the 22-year-old infielder will be swarmed by agents and MLB brass immediately. Gourriel hit .347 (43-for-124) with seven homers in 34 games for Cuba last year (including Olympic qualifying and the WBC), and also led the Cuban Serie Nacional with 27 HR and 92 RBI -- great marks for a 90-game season. He even added 21 steals. He should be rostered in any serious dynasty league, because you just never know when he'll be available to MLB teams.
Gourriel hit eight homers in just 11 games at the World Cup in September and hit a resounding .319/.385/.894 to lead Cuba to the title. Although he's started at second base for Cuba in the past, Gourriel plays third base and bats cleanup in Cuba's lineup. Standard caveats about the reported age of Cuban players apply, but even if Gourriel might be a little bit older than his state-reported age of 21, he'd be one heck of a prospect if he ever became available to MLB teams.
Note: first name spelled "Yulieski" by some media sources.
More Fantasy News
Posts steal in loss
1BKansas City Royals  
September 27, 2024
Gurriel went 0-for-2 with a walk and a stolen base in Friday's 3-0 loss to Atlanta.
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Gaining hold of lineup spot
1BKansas City Royals  
September 18, 2024
Gurriel will start at first base and bat fifth in Wednesday's game against the Tigers.
ANALYSIS
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Sitting down Saturday
1BKansas City Royals  
September 7, 2024
Gurriel isn't in the Royals' lineup for Saturday's game against the Twins.
ANALYSIS
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Back in action Friday
1BKansas City Royals  
September 6, 2024
Gurriel (hamstring) is starting at first base and batting seventh Friday against the Twins.
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Exits game with injury
1BKansas City Royals  
Hamstring
September 2, 2024
Gurriel was lifted from Monday's game against the Guardians in the eighth inning due to right hamstring tightness, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Drawing interest for 2024
1BFree Agent  
January 16, 2024
Gurriel has received interest from major-league teams this offseason and expects to make a decision on where to sign soon, Francys Romero of MLB.com reports.
ANALYSIS
Gurriel will turn 40 in June and slashed just .245/.304/.359 last season with the Marlins, so he seems likely to have to settle for a minor-league contract for the second offseason in a row. The first baseman won a batting title and a Gold Glove in 2021 but has just a .655 OPS since the start of the 2022 campaign.
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