Cuban infielder Yulieski Gurriel has agreed to a contract with the Houston Astros, the team announced Saturday. According to ESPN's Jim Bowden and multiple reports, the five-year deal is worth $47.5 million.
MLB.com first reported the terms of the agreement Friday.
The #Astros have agreed to terms on a Major League contract with Cuban IF Yulieski Gurriel. pic.twitter.com/UCjnwsieXw
— Houston Astros (@astros) July 16, 2016
Gurriel, who defected from Cuba in February, was declared a free agent by Major League Baseball last month. He drew interest from multiple teams, including the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and New York Mets.
The 32-year-old Gurriel represented Cuba in three World Baseball Classic tournaments and also was a member of Cuba's Olympic team in 2008.
In 15 seasons in Cuba, he is a.335 hitter with 250 homers and 1,018 RBI. Last season, he hit .500 with 15 homers and 51 RBI in just 49 games for Industriales.
Projected as either a third baseman or second baseman in the majors, Gurriel had been training in South Florida with his younger brother, Lourdes Gurriel, who also defected in February.
Gurriel was declared a free agent last month. He was an Olympian in 2004 and participated in the World Baseball Classic three times. MLB.com reported that Gurriel's family changed the spelling of its last name within the past two years. His name was spelled Gourriel during the Olympics and WBC previously.
To make room on the roster, the Astros designated infielder Matt Duffy for assignment.
Information from The Associated Press was included in this report.
