Yulieski Gourriel and his younger brother slipped away from their hotel in the Dominican Republic early Monday in an apparent effort to launch careers in Major League Baseball.

The departure of the Cuban players was confirmed by Granma, the Communist Party newspaper in Cuba that serves as an outlet for official government statements.

The elder Yulieski has been one of the Cuban players most highly praised by MLB scouts since he played in his first World Baseball Classic in 2006. His brother also is considered a good prospect.