Miguel Perez
| AB | 3 |
|---|---|
| AVG | 0 |
| OBP | 0 |
| SLG | 0 |
| HR | 0 |
- Full name Miguel Angel Perez
- Born 09/25/1983 in Caracas, Venezuela
- Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 235 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Juan Jose Abreu
- Debut 09/07/2005
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Perez is ready to catch at the major league level right now, as he shows off a plus-plus arm and above-average receiving skills. He blocks balls in the dirt well, frames pitches and controls the running game. He threw out 41 percent of basestealers last year, and he throws behind runners aggressively, though he found his success rate at picking off runners dropped against the more experienced Double-A baserunners. His bat is significantly behind his defense, which could leave him stalled in the high minors. Perez has some raw power that comes out in batting practice, but he's been unable to convert it into production, as evidenced by his .326 career slugging percentage. At his best, Perez waits back and hits to the other field. He gets into ruts where he presses too much trying to pull the ball. Pitchers have also found they can get him to chase pitches out of the zone. Perez still has a long ways to go with the bat to prove he can be more than a fill-in. With the signing of Chad Moeller, Perez could end up back in Double-A to work on his hitting. The Reds dropped him from the 40-man roster in December, but quickly re-signed him to a minor league deal. -
Though he has hit just .240 above Rookie ball, Perez made his big league debut before he turned 22 in September. His defensive ability has helped him land jobs in the Venezuela Winter League the past two offseasons. Perez is the organization's best defensive catcher, with well above-average throwing and receiving skills. He erased 44 percent of basestealers in 2005 and likes to pick off runners with snap throws to first base. He handles pitchers well and runs well for a catcher. Perez' bat hasn't caught up with his catch-and-throw skills and may relegate him to a backup role. He has limited power (eight homers in five pro seasons) and plate discipline, though the Reds think he could hit 10-15 homers annually. When he keeps his hands back, he does a better job of driving the ball. After his short September audition, Perez will go to Double-A in 2006. With the productive tandem of Jason LaRue and Javier Valentin, the Reds don't need to rush Perez. -
The Reds have three catchers--Miguel Perez, Brian Peterson and Dane Sardinha--with advanced defensive skills who can catch and throw in the majors right now, but all three have serious questions about their offense. Perez is the youngest and has the most upside offensively. Some in the organization consider Perez its best position-player prospect after Edwin Encarnacion, based almost solely on his defense. Perez produces 1.8- to 1.9-second pop times to second base, and Cincinnati rates his arm and defense as 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale. He's agile, athletic and intelligent, all traits of an elite defender, though he threw out just 28 percent of basestealers last year. Perez has a long way to go for his offense to be in the same ballpark as his defense. His ceiling is .260 with 10-15 homers. He has average power potential and is filling out his solid frame. But he lacks the approach to make consistent contact to take advantage of his power. Perez is overly aggressive and lacks patience. He needs to start hitting at the Reds' new high Class A Sarasota affiliate this year if he's going to have a reasonable chance of fulfilling the organization's high hopes. -
Perez passed Dane Sardinha on the organization's catching depth chart despite a midseason demotion to Rookie-level Billings. One Reds official said Perez could be the best catching prospect to come through the organization in recent years. His defense is ahead of his offense at this point, and he has room for improvement in both areas. While he's not as refined defensively as Sardinha, Perez projects to be a frontline defender in time. He has a plus arm and is working on speeding up his release. He committed 17 errors and permitted 16 passed balls, while throwing out 34 percent of basestealers in Billings. He was overmatched at low Class A, where he fell into the habit of cheating with his hands and continually got off balance at the plate. Nevertheless, Reds minor league hitting instructor Leon Roberts was impressed with Perez' ability to use his hands in spite of his mechanical flaws. He has the potential to drive the ball for power when he stays loaded and keeps both halves of his body in sync. He's a bit of a project and will get another shot at low Class A in 2004. -
Signed by Reds international scouting director Jorge Oquendo, Perez made an impressive U.S. debut in the Gulf Coast League last year. Now Cincinnati has him slotted behind Joey Votto and Dane Sardinha on its catching depth chart. His defensive tools also rank a close second to Sardinha. Perez threw out 31 percent of basestealers last year, a rate scouts expect to rise as he learns to harness his plus arm strength. He tends to drop his arm angle, causing his throws to tail and lose carry. A simple adjustment with his footwork and more experience should help him become a menacing presence behind the plate. Perez doesn't produce much power now, but he's an aggressive hitter with a knack for putting the ball in play. He needs to shorten his stroke. Coming off an encouraging instructional league stint, he has a chance to jump all the way to low Class A this year.
Minor League Top Prospects
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The league was deep in catching, and one manager thought Perez was better than Palmisano and Wilson. Great Falls manager Chris Cron said Perez was the league's best player on Opening Day and improved as the season progressed "He's got a cannon for an arm and all the tools defensively for a catcher," Cron said. "His hands are soft behind the plate and his feet are nice and quick." Perez averaged 1.8 seconds on his throws to second base, and led regular catchers by nabbing 34 percent of basestealers. Sorg also raved about the way Perez handled pitchers and called a game. The 6-foot-3 Venezuelan ranked seventh in the league in hitting. "He's a smart, young kid with a good idea of what he wants to do at the plate," Sorg said. "Miguel needs to learn how to drive the ball better, but I have no doubt that will come with experience."
Best Tools List
- Rated Best Defensive Catcher in the Cincinnati Reds in 2007
- Rated Best Defensive Catcher in the Southern League in 2006
- Rated Best Defensive Catcher in the Cincinnati Reds in 2006
- Rated Best Defensive Catcher in the Cincinnati Reds in 2005
