His hair is as explosive as his game, meet Astro Yuli Gurriel
HOUSTON -- His swing is big, his game is big, and boy is his hair big!
Meet Yuli Gurriel, Houston Astros' first-baseman, and 33-year old rookie. Born Yulieski Gurriel in Sancti Spiritus, Cuba, Gurriel was the best player in Cuba when he defected in 2016, eventually signing a 5-year, $47.5 million contract with the Astros.
Gurriel had a great year in his first full season with the Astros, hitting .299 with 18 home runs, 75 RBI, and 43 doubles. In the division series, Gurriel went 9 for 17 against the Red Sox for a .529 average.
It's been a long journey for Gurriel, who defected, along with his brother, after playing a tournament in the Dominican Republic. Gurriel comes from a baseball family. His father is considered the "Babe Ruth" of Cuba. His younger brother, Lourdes Gurriel signed with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Yuli brings a big personality to the game and has been a popular addition to the clubhouse. But it's his wild outrageous hair that turns heads. You never know what is going to emerge when he takes off his baseball cap. Some say it looks like a pineapple or a troll doll, Sports Illustrated described it as looking like "a child's drawing of a forest."
No matter what you think of Yuli's hair, it's clear that he has become a key part of what has become a magical year for the Houston Astros.
