The Orioles rarely have gotten as excited about a Dominican signing as they are about Peralta, and several club officials consider him one of the organization's top dozen or so prospects. He signed for $325,000 on Sept. 7, the same day veteran international scout Fred Ferreira saw him throw for the first time during a showcase at the Arias-Goodman academy in San Pedro de Macoris. Peralta had a dominant three-inning outing, throwing 93-95 mph and touching 97, and Ferreira didn't wait to see more. It's the largest bonus the organization ever has given a Dominican-born amateur, topping the $300,000 bonus received by Hector Veloz in July 2010. The Orioles had Peralta take his physical in Baltimore, something they also do with their top draft picks. After that he went to instructional league and impressed club personnel with his bullpen sessions. He showed a free-and-easy delivery, generating plus velocity with minimal effort. Peralta's secondary stuff is rudimentary, but he showed enough ability to spin a breaking ball to dream on its future potential. Scouts outside the organization are less enthused about Peralta, but the Orioles are excited about his live arm. He probably will begin his pro career in the Dominican Summer League in 2014.
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