Y&R's new production execs are wasting no time in making good on their promise to help diversify the Genoa City canvas. The Young and the Restless has hired former General Hospital bad boy Ignacio Serricchio for a brand-new role.

The Argentinian-born Serricchio will play the newly created role of Alex. Alex, according to TVGuide, is "a streetwise undercover officer who comes to Genoa City from the Big Apple with a big secret."

While he'll play a cop on Y&R, during his four-year stint on General Hospital, Serricchio was on the other side of the law. From September 2004 to March 6, 2008, Serricchio played mob soldier Diego Alcazar. His alter ego met with an untimely demise when he was gunned down.

In primetime, Serricchio has plenty of experience with law enforcement programs. He's appeared The Client List, CSI: Miami, The Finder, and Covert Affairs.

News of Serricchio's hiring came just a couple of days after the show hired two African-American male models for newly created roles.

Serricchio will begin taping at the end of this month. His first airdate is December 7.