DETROIT --- With his work visa approved, Yulieski Gurriel made his organizational and stateside professional debut Saturday afternoon with the Astros' Gulf Coast League affiliate in Kissimmee, Fla.

Gurriel went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts, two weeks to the day from when the Cuban infielder was introduced in a press conference at Minute Maid Park. The Astros' $47.5-million man is scheduled to be off Sunday and play again for the GCL club on Monday in the early stages of his tune up for a likely mid-August major league debut.

"I think it's realistic to expect," general manager Jeff Luhnow said of a mid-August time frame for Gurriel's debut. "No earlier than mid-August."

Luhnow said he thinks Gurriel will need at least two weeks of game activity before the Astros determine if he's ready to debut or whether he needs to first face more live pitching.

Gurriel was expected to play a few games in the GCL before moving to a more advanced minor league affiliate, likely Class AA Corpus Christi. But because after Monday the Astros' GCL affiliate does not play another home game until the following Sunday, the Astros will evaluate the next step for Gurriel after his next game.

The Corpus Christi affiliate is home Monday through Wednesday before opening a four-game series in Midland on Thursday. The Astros could send Gurriel to another affiliate before Corpus Christi, Luhnow said.

"We want to try and get him as many at-bats as possible in the shortest period of time," Luhnow said. "It may not be convenient to do it in the GCL next week."

Gurriel batted leadoff and served as designated hitter in the GCL on Saturday. His first two at-bats came against a rehabbing major leaguer in righthander Mat Latos, now with the Washington Nationals. Gurriel grounded out to shortstop in the at-bat he did not strike out.

"I think it's important to calibrate expectations," Luhnow said. "This is like the first game of spring training for him. ... He's working hard and he's going to get the reps that we and he feel are necessary before moving up."