MIAMI, United States. — Cuban baseball players Yuli Gurriel and José Iglesias have signed with the Miami Marlins for next season, according to various reports confirmed by Major League Baseball (MLB).
The Miami franchise was one of the most interested in acquiring the services of Gurriel, 38, who entered free agency in November of last year after being crowned for the second time in his career with the Houston Astros.
The man from Sancti Spiritus, who had a 2022 below his usual performance —he barely hit .242 and hit only 8 home runs—, will arrive in Little Havana after signing a minor league contract for one season. However, his presence on the Marlins’ roster adds quality and experience to a roster full of young players.
The presence of Yuli Gurriel with the Marlins could be an incentive for the fans of the Cuban community to meet at Loan Depot Park, a stadium that usually does not register large attendance.
In his seven seasons with the Houston Astros, Gurriel won two World Series. He also won the American League batting title in 2021 and the Gold Glove that same year. In the Major Leagues his offensive line is .284/.328/.448 with 206 doubles, five triples and 94 home runs.
In the case of José Iglesias, known to fans as “Candelita”, he has a career spanning 11 seasons in the Major Leagues, in which he was with the Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers, Cincinnati Reds, Baltimore Orioles, Angels Los Angeles and Colorado Rockies.
In 2022, with the Rockies, he posted a .292/.328/.380 offensive line in 118 games, a remarkable performance for a player who, like Gurriel, will strengthen the Marlins’ infield.
