Houston Astros first baseman Yulieski Gourriel Castillo (born June 9, 1984), better known by his nickname “La Pia,” is a Cuban professional baseball player.
Sancti Spiritus and Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball were his former teams. Gurriel was a member of the Cuban national team, and he won gold at the 2004 Olympic Games.
He has also played shortstop, second base, and third base in the major leagues during the course of his career. His father was former Cuban athlete Lourdes Gurriel, and his son Yulieski became one of that year’s most highly rated players in his native Cuba.
MLB scouts predicted at the 2006 World Baseball Classic that Gurriel would be a first-round choice if he were to enter the draft. In 2016, he defected from Cuba and made his MLB debut.
Gurriel became the fifth player in MLB history to win both an Olympic gold medal and a World Series championship while playing his first complete MLB season. He also played a role in the team’s two AL championships in 2019 and 2021.
Gurriel became the second Cuban-born player to win the AL-hitting title in 2021. A Gold Glove Award winner for first baseman in 2021 made him the oldest player to receive that honour.
How Old Is Yuli Gurriel?
He was born in Sancti Spritus, Cuba, on June 9, 1984. He is currently 39 years old.