During the World Baseball Classic, Cuban second/third baseman Yulieski Gourriel piqued the interest and attention of scouts and major league executives perhaps more than any player not under contract with a major league team. Several scouts said Gourriel would have likely gone at or near the top of the draft if he was draft-eligible. According to The Bogota Times, Gourriel has defected, along with shortstop Eduardo Paret, while in Colombia for the Central American and Caribbean Games.