By: Andrew Hendriks

Canadian Baseball Network

TORONTO – Mere hours removed from the conclusion of 2016’s General Manager meetings in Scottsdale, AZ, the Toronto Blue Jays formally opened their off-season signing season by inking a pair of Cuban-born free agents in Kendrys Morales and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. on Friday afternoon.
 
Morales, 33, joins Toronto having played in parts of 10 seasons at the Major League level while appearing with Los Angeles (Angels), Seattle, Minnesota and Kansas City, respectively.
 
For his career, the switch-hitting product of Fomento, Cuba has slashed a respectable .273/.331/.465 with 383 extra-base hits in 4077 big league plate appearances dating back to 2006.
 
A string of injuries have limited the former silver slugger to more of a designated hitter role over the course of his time in the Show, however, he has appeared in 386 games as at first base along with the occasional start in the outfield when needed.
 
Of course, the arrival of a full-time DH would appear to put an end to the idea of bringing free agent slugger Edwin Encarnacion back in 2017 but that still remains a possibility given both Encarnacion’s ability to effectively play first base and the affordability of Morales’s contract.
 
Signed to a three-year pact, Morales is set to earn $33 million over the duration of his deal with Toronto. With the potential to hit upwards to 30 home runs while retaining a respectable batting average on both sides of the dish, the financial implications surrounding his current deal would appear to come in below market value.
 
That said, his ability to consistently maneuver the base paths has drawn its share of concern in the years that have followed an untimely ankle fracture after hitting a walk-off home run with the Angels in 2010.
 
Last season, Morales hit .330 as a right-handed hitter but saw that figure drop to .231 when swinging from the left side of the dish. Hitting 19 big flys, his power numbers were stronger against lefties compared to the 11 hit off righties on the year.
 
In addition to potentially filling a void in the wake of Encarnacion’s free agency, Morales’ history with regards to hitting for power as a left-handed batter helps rectify one of the deficiencies the 2016 version of this team was faced with.
 
With exception of Michael Saunders and switch hitters in Justin Smoak and Dioner Navarro, the Blue Jays were predominately right-hand heavy last season creating an area where opposing teams attempted to take advantage of down the stretch.
 
Although impactful, Toronto’s other free-agent signing isn’t expected to factor into the club's overall performance in 2017.
 
Gurriel Jr., 23, is the younger brother of Yuleiski Gurriel who made his MLB debut with Houston in 2016 and hit .262 with three home runs over 36 games with the Astros after coming up in late August.
 
Widely considered one of the top international prospects available in this winter’s class, the six-foot-four product of Sanciti Spriritus, Cu, is reportedly set to earn $22 million throughout the duration of his seven-year deal with Toronto.
 
Over the course of his six-year Cuban National Series career, the right-handed swinging middle infielder slashed .277/.362/.426 with 52 doubles, four triples and 24 home runs in just under 1100 plate appearances with Sanciti.
 
A season removed from slashing .344/.407/.560 in 2015,  the Blue Jays newest recruit is currently ranked No. 6 on MLB Pipelines Top International Prospect List.  
 
Currently projected as an athletic outfielder with developing speed, Gurriel Jr. will likely need some additional at-bats in the minors before transitioning to the major league level but could be ready as early as late next season.