RADIO
Yuli Gurriel 2022 Player Outlook: High Floor In Four Categories Being Slept On
3 years agoHouston Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel rebounded from his 2020 season, slashing .319/.383/.462, on route to the A.L. batting crown. He totalled 15 HRs, 81 RBI, 83 runs, and one stolen base over 143 games. The six-year veteran has been one of the more consistent contact hitters in baseball since his debut, never hitting below .291 during a full season. His 31 HRs in 2019 are a major outlier as there isn't exceptional power in his bat, only barreling the ball 3.4% of the time. He did hit it hard enough, though, with a favorable 24.3 FB% in 2021- the best of his career- to expect double-digit long balls. His strikeout rate of 11.2% was exceptional again, and he moved into the 58th percentile for Chase% after poor results throughout his career, helping to increase his walk rate to 9.8%. Although he'll turn 38 next season, the native of Cuba should find himself in the middle of the Astros lineup, giving him an opportunity for another 80-plus RBI and runs campaign. His speed doesn't set the world on fire, explaining why he's only stolen 15 bases in his career. But at his ADP of 195, his batting average and run production, along with mid-level home runs, are a steal.
