Most baseball fans probably don't know his name, but Cuban third baseman Yulieski Gourriel could be ready to shake up a pennant race.
Major League Baseball on Monday declared the 32-year-old a free agent, according to MLB.com, and there are no spending restrictions on him given his international experience. He's widely regarded as one of the top available talents in international baseball.
Gourriel, who defected from Cuba to the U.S. in February with his younger brother, Lourdes Gourriel Jr., has 15 years of pro baseball experience, 14 in Cuba and one in Japan. He has power (250 career home runs) and a good on-base percentage, with a slash line of .