August Update: In the first half of the season, Perez was one of the brightest pitching prospects in the sport and was one of the most impressive arms at the Futures Game. He stumbled a little bit in July, however, and landed on the IL in early August with tendinitis in his right shoulder.
Track Record: As an amateur, Perez was already 6-foot-5 and a lanky 155 pounds. He's gained both height and weight since then but has maintained his surprising body control and coordination. His first shot at a professional debut was scuttled by the pandemic, though he did attend Miami's instructional league. He proved advanced enough this season to skip completely over both extended spring training and the Florida Complex League in lieu of an immediate spot in the rotation at Low-A Jupiter, where he dominated despite being the youngest player in the sport on Opening Day. His finest moment came on Aug. 7, when he whiffed a season-high 11 hitters in 4.2 no-hit innings against Tampa. In all, Perez proved advanced enough to move to High-A Beloit for a four-start spell at season's end. He was excellent after the promotion as well, with his only real clunker coming in his last start of the season while pitted against Cleveland phenom Daniel Espino.
Scouting Report: Before anything else, Perez's success can be credited to the three C's: coordination, control and command. All of these would be solid for any 18-year-old pitcher getting his first shot at pro ball but given the circumstances surrounding the 2020 season and his massive frame, they were exceptional. Perez works with a three-pitch mix of a four-seam fastball, changeup and curveball, the first two of which already show the makings of plus or better offerings. His fastball ranges between 93-96 mph and has touched a few ticks higher while settling in at an average of roughly 95 mph while showing excellent riding life when thrown up in the zone. The Marlins were pleased with the pitch's analytical characteristics and the way it played against much more experienced hitters. Perez's changeup, which averaged 83 mph, showed solid fading action when he properly executed the pitch. Other times it played firm, and some scouts noticed that tended to slow his arm down when he threw the changeup. Nevertheless, evaluators believe the pitch will eventually be plus. He showed a willingness to throw the pitch in any count and against both righties and lefties. Perez's curveball parks in the 77-80 mph range and needs the most work of his offspeed pitches. He spins the ball well and uses the curveball as an early-count offering to steal strikes, but scouts would like to see more consistency and power to the offering to help it realize its potential as an average to above-average pitch. Despite his already massive frame, Perez still has plenty of projection remaining. The Marlins have tasked him with gaining roughly 20 more pounds of good weight so he can head into next season with more power behind his already dynamic arsenal while taking on an even bigger workload.
The Future: After a successful stint at High-A to end his season, Perez is likely to return to the level to begin 2022, when he'll be among the youngest players in the league. He has the upside of a front-end starter.
Scouting Grades: Fastball: 70. Curveball: 50. Slider: 60. Changeup: 60. Control: 60.
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