Blue Jays sign Cuban free-agent prospect Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
Infielder/outfielder agrees to 7-year deal worth $22M
The Toronto Blue Jays have signed Cuban free-agent prospect Lourdes Gurriel Jr. to a multi-year deal.
The team announced the seven-year, $22 million US contract on Saturday.
Gurriel became a free agent in August. As part of the agreement, announced Saturday, he gets a $3 million signing bonus payable within 45 days of the contract's approval by the commissioner's office and salaries of $600,000 next season, $1 million in 2018, $1.5 million in 2019, $2.5 million in 2020, $3.5 million in 2021, $4.5 million in 2022 and $5.4 million in 2023.
He would get a $100,000 bonus if he is voted Rookie of the Year.
It's official! The <a href="https://twitter.com/BlueJays">@BlueJays</a> have agreed to a deal with INF/OF Cuban prospect Lourdes Gurriel Jr. <a href="https://t.co/WpDDgORSFu">pic.twitter.com/WpDDgORSFu</a>
—@BlueJaysThe 23-year-old Gurriel spent parts of six seasons playing for Serie Nacional in Cuba's top league. The right-handed hitter posted a .344 average with 17 doubles and 10 home runs in 59 games as a 21-year-old in his final season in 2015, the last of his six seasons in Cuba's Serie Nacional.
Gurriel showcased primarily as a shortstop and centre-fielder during his recent workouts in September. He was declared a free agent by MLB in August.
Gurriel, the younger brother of Astros infielder Yulieski Gurriel, has a career .277 batting average over 1,098 career plate appearances in the Serie Nacional.
Yulieski Gurriel agreed to a $47.5 million, five-year contract with the Astros in July. The 32-year-old made his big league debut Aug. 21.
With files from The Associated Press