Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Bio
Lourdes Yunielki Gurriel Castillo Jr., known professionally as Lourdes Gurriel Jr., is a Cuban-American professional baseball left fielder for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB). Before joining Arizona, he played for the Toronto Blue Jays from 2018 to 2022. Gurriel also spent parts of his early career in the Cuban National Series with Sancti Spíritus and Industriales before defecting from Cuba in 2016. In his first season with Arizona, he was named an MLB All-Star and helped the franchise reach the 2023 World Series.
Early Life and Background
Lourdes Yunielki Gurriel Castillo Jr. was born on October 10, 1993, in Cuba. He grew up in a baseball household, the son of former Cuban National Series player Lourdes Gurriel Sr. His older brother, Yulieski Gurriel, also played in the Cuban National Series before defecting from the country, giving Lourdes Jr. a deep family connection to the sport.
Because baseball was central to the Gurriel family, Lourdes Jr. was exposed to the game at a young age and rose quickly through Cuba’s competitive baseball system. That environment helped him sharpen his offensive approach and prepare for a professional career. His development in Cuba ultimately laid the foundation for his transition to affiliated professional baseball in North America.
Path to Professional Baseball
Gurriel debuted in the Cuban National Series with Sancti Spíritus in 2010 as a 16-year-old. He later joined Industriales in 2013 and represented Cuba at the 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games, where he won a gold medal. After the 2015 Cuban League season, he agreed to a contract with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball but never appeared in a game for the club.
In February 2016, Gurriel and his brother Yulieski defected after competing in the Caribbean Series in the Dominican Republic. That August, MLB declared him a free agent and ranked him as the sixth-best international prospect available. Following a workout attended by 60 MLB scouts at Rod Carew Stadium in Panama, he signed a seven-year, $22 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays on November 12, 2016.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Career
Minor League Years and MLB Debut (2017–2018)
Gurriel opened his first professional season in the Blue Jays system with the Dunedin Blue Jays of the High-A Florida State League in 2017. After recovering from a leg injury, he was promoted to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats of the Double-A Eastern League in July. He closed the year with the Peoria Javelinas of the Arizona Fall League and hit .229 with five home runs and 36 RBI in 64 games.
He began 2018 back at New Hampshire, batted .347 in 12 games, and was promoted to the majors on April 20. In his debut that night, he recorded two singles and three RBI. On July 29, he set a modern-era rookie record with his 11th consecutive multi-hit game, surpassing Shoeless Joe Jackson’s 1911 mark. A hamstring injury later ended his rookie season in September.
Toronto Blue Jays Era (2018–2022)
Gurriel spent his first five major league seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays from 2018 through 2022. After an early-season demotion in 2019, he began playing as an outfielder at Triple-A Buffalo and finished the year with 20 home runs. He also led all major league left fielders with nine assists.
In the shortened 2020 season, he hit .308 with 11 home runs and 33 RBI in 57 games and was a Gold Glove finalist. He set several career highs in 2021, including a club-record four grand slams and 21 home runs, while again leading left fielders with 12 assists. On July 22, 2022, he tied the franchise single-game hits record with six hits and five RBI in a 28–5 win over the Boston Red Sox.
Arizona Diamondbacks Era (2023–Present)
On December 23, 2022, the Blue Jays traded Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Gabriel Moreno to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for Daulton Varsho. In his first season with Arizona in 2023, he was named an MLB All-Star and slashed .261/.309/.463 with 24 home runs and 82 RBI, helping the Diamondbacks reach the 2023 World Series. He re-signed with the team on December 22, 2023, on a three-year, $42 million contract running through 2026.
In 2024, he appeared in 133 games for Arizona, slashing .279/.322/.435 with 18 home runs and 75 RBI. He made 129 appearances during the 2025 season, batting .248/.295/.418 with 19 home runs, 80 RBI, and 10 stolen bases. On September 2, 2025, the Diamondbacks announced that he would miss the remainder of the season after suffering a torn ACL in his right knee.
Driving Style and Strengths
Gurriel is known for his bat-to-ball skills, gap power, and ability to drive the ball to all fields. Since moving to left field, he has built a reputation as one of the stronger defensive outfielders at his position, regularly ranking among the league leaders in assists. His combination of offensive contact and outfield arm strength has made him a steady everyday contributor for Arizona.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Gurriel’s signature moments are his 11-game multi-hit streak as a rookie in 2018, his club-record four grand slams in 2021, and his 2023 All-Star selection with the Diamondbacks. On September 21, 2018, he and brother Yulieski became the first brothers in major league history to each hit two home runs on the same day.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Career Wins
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. has built a versatile resume across the Cuban National Series, the minor leagues, and Major League Baseball. While individual game wins are not typically tracked as totals for position players, his impact can be measured through home runs, RBI, defensive assists, and the postseason runs he has helped power.
MLB Highlights
Through his MLB career, Gurriel has surpassed the milestones of a 2023 All-Star selection, an appearance in the 2023 World Series, and multiple seasons with 18 or more home runs. He set a Blue Jays franchise record with four grand slams in 2021 and tied the club’s single-game hits record in 2022. He also led all major league left fielders in assists in both 2019 and 2021.
Other Wins and Performances
Before defecting, Gurriel won a gold medal representing Cuba at the 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games. He also participated in the 2015 World Port Tournament with Cuba’s national team. He later took part in FEPCUBE’s “Patria y Vida” team at the inaugural Intercontinental Series in Barranquilla, Colombia.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Family
Family Background and Baseball Lineage
The Gurriel family is one of the most recognized baseball families to come out of Cuba. Their father, Lourdes Gurriel Sr., played in the Cuban National Series and passed down a strong baseball tradition to his sons. Lourdes Jr. and his older brother Yulieski both rose through the Cuban system and later defected to pursue careers in Major League Baseball. Yulieski went on to sign with the Houston Astros.
Personal Life
Gurriel’s family lives in Miami, Florida. He became a United States citizen on May 8, 2023, shortly after his first season with the Arizona Diamondbacks. The brothers made baseball history on September 21, 2018, when each hit two home runs on the same day, the first siblings to accomplish that feat.
2025 Season Performance
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. entered the 2025 season as a key veteran in the Arizona Diamondbacks lineup under his contract that runs through 2026. He played in 129 games, batting .248/.295/.418 with 19 home runs, 80 RBI, and 10 stolen bases, providing middle-of-the-order production for the club.
On September 2, 2025, the Diamondbacks announced that Gurriel would miss the remainder of the season after suffering a torn ACL in his right knee. The injury cut short what had been a steady offensive year and forced Arizona to adjust its outfield plans heading into the postseason.
Looking ahead, Gurriel is expected to focus on rehabilitation during the 2025–2026 offseason with the goal of returning to the lineup for the start of the 2026 campaign. His contract with Arizona runs through 2026, giving the Diamondbacks a clear window to count on his bat and his defense in left field once he recovers.
