The Gurriel brothers had an exciting Monday. Yulieski, who signed last month with the Astros, was promoted to Double-A, all but ensuring he'd reach the majors by September. Lourdes, meanwhile, was declared a free agent by baseball. For our purposes, we'll focus on the latter note.
The younger of the Gurriel brothers by a decade, Lourdes figures to be an in-demand player. Just don't expect him to sign anytime soon, however. Here's Jesse Sanchez with the explanation as to why:
Lourdes, who played six seasons in Cuba, won't be 23 until October. He will not be subject to the guidelines if he signs after he turns 23, and therefore stands to have more leverage if he signs after his birthday because teams would not have to use money from their international bonus pool to sign him.
Back in February, Ben Badler -- the top source on all things international free-agent-related -- wrote that Lourdes had a lower present ability and ceiling than his brother, yet "[is] a talented prospect who is going to draw plenty of attention." Badler also noted that while Lourdes had experience in the outfield, he would likely move back to the infield as he began partaking in showcases.
The Astros are among those reportedly interested in Lourdes. But, presuming he waits until after the spending limitations are lifted, you can bet they won't be the only ones.
Lourdes hit .344/.407/.560 with more extra-base hits (27) than strikeouts (23) last year in the Cuban National Series.
