“We want the fans to know we are fine and working toward our dream,” Yulieski told MLB.com Monday night. “… “We are ready to play. We hope it’s this year. We want to play as soon as possible.”
Both Gurriel brothers spoke to MLB.com from an undisclosed location. Now that they are out of Cuba, they have to navigate the process of establishing residency outside the United States before they can sign with major league teams and resume their careers in the U.S.
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The pair were playing for Cuba in the Caribbean Series, which ended Feb. 7 in the Dominican Republic. A witness told El Nuevo Herald last week that they were spirited away from the team’s Santo Domingo hotel early Monday morning in a black van as a Cuban security officer tried unsuccessfully to stop them.
Yulieski, a 31-year-old infielder, is considered the country’s top player. Lourdes, 22, plays outfield and shortstop and still needs some seasoning but is projected to have a high ceiling.
Under MLB rules, Yulieski would be a free agent and eligible to sign with any team once he establishes residency in another country. El Nuevo Herald has reported that he already has established residency in Panama from his days traveling during international tournaments, but the veteran would not confirm that to MLB.com. Lourdes would have to wait until he turns 23 on Oct. 10 to be able to sign as a free agent.
Though nearly a decade apart in age, the brothers are close and would love a chance to wear the same uniform once they get settled.
“We would like to play together on the same team, have my brother near me,” Yulieski told MLB.com. “But if the circumstances don’t permit it and we have to go different paths, that’s what we will do.”
The Gurriels — the name is sometimes spelled Gourriel — are part of what is considered to be the first family of Cuban baseball. Their father, Lourdes Sr., was a longtime player for the national team and later its manager. Their older brother, Yunieski, played 16 years in Cuba’s Serie Nacional, and several other relatives also have played.
