Jack Perkins

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Athletics #4 prospect in 2025
  BA Grade/Risk: 55/High.
  
  Track Record: Perkins had a fiery arsenal but spotty control as a college righthander, first at Louisville before he transferred to Indiana. The Athletics signed him for $270,570 as their fifth-round pick in 2022. A velocity bump helped Perkins break out a year later and reach Double-A. His 2024 season was delayed by a lat injury, but he was very effective upon returning in late May. Perkins pitched to a 2.96 ERA and 31.7% strikeout rate to 11.1% walk rate in 76 innings with Double-A Midland.
  
  Scouting Report: Despite standing just 6-foot-1, Perkins generates plenty of power from a strong lower half and impressive arm strength. The righthander runs his 94-97 mph four-seam fastball through the zone with riding life from a lower release angle. After previously seeking a more consistent slider shape, Perkins added more sweep to his mid-80s offering to great results in 2024, with batters missing it roughly 45% of the time. His slider averaged nearly 2,800 rpm of spin, and the A’s now believe it’s one of the best breaking pitches in their system. The righthander also throws a solid low-90s cutter and a mid-80s curveball that he doesn’t command as consistently. Perkins sparingly mixes in a firm upper-80s changeup that needs more work. Perkins has a shorter arm path and fringe-average control. His past command concerns, walk rates and attacking mentality invite questions about whether he’ll ultimately shift to a relief role, but his strike rates in 2024 painted a more optimistic outlook.
  
  The Future: Perkins’ electric stuff and deep pitch mix provides a variety of paths to racking up outs. He has to prove he can remain healthy while throwing enough strikes, but he has the ceiling of a solid midrotation starter and a fallback as a late- or multi-inning reliever.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 45 | Cutter: 50 | Control: 45.
• 
  Ranked Athletics #15 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Perkins showed explosive stuff as an amateur and piqued the A’s interest after throwing more strikes upon transferring from Indiana to Louisville in 2022. They signed him for $270,750 in the fifth round and he trended up in his first full season of pro ball in 2023, posting a 4.10 ERA in 107.2 innings between High-A Lansing and Double-A Midland. Perkins continued on to the Arizona Fall League and did not allow an earned run in 12.1 innings.
  
  Scouting Report: A full offseason committed to a plyo-ball routine helped Perkins’ velocity tick up in 2023. His four-seamer averaged nearly 95 mph and has decent shape, playing well at the top of the zone because of his lower release angle. He also throws a low-90s cutter that has above-average potential. Perkins missed fewer bats upon reaching Double-A. Settling on a more precise slider could help improve his swing-and-miss potential at the upper levels. His mid-80s offering flashes above-average potential, but has inconsistent shape and sometimes blends into a slurve-like offering. There’s some debate internally whether the pitch is better suited by adding more sweep or more depth. Perkins also throws a firm upper-80s changeup that elicited the most whiffs of any offering in the zone. He has been an average strike-thrower so far, and utilizes a quick, compact delivery and shorter arm stroke.
  
  The Future: Perkins needs to unlock more consistent secondaries to stay on a starter track, although his stuff might play up in a high-leverage relief role.
  
  Scouting Grades Fastball: 55 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 50 | Cutter: 55 | Control: 45

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #281 prospect in 2022 draft
  School: Indiana Committed/Drafted: Braves ’18 (39)
  Age At Draft: 22.6
  Perkins was a standout baseball and football player for Kokomo (Ind.) High, where he helped his team to a state championship on the gridiron. In high school, Perkins showed impressive arm strength with a fastball that was regularly in the mid 90s, as well as a hard slider that flashed above-average. Scouts mistrusted his control, however, and despite being selected by the Braves in the 39th round of the 2018 draft, he made his way to campus at Louisville. Perkins struggled with his control for two seasons (he missed 2020 due to injury) with Louisville but transferred to Indiana for his 2022 junior campaign. This spring he took a step forward with his strike throwing and started the entire year, posting a 5.10 ERA over 83 innings, with 91 strikeouts (23.1 K%) and 47 walks (11.9 BB%). While Perkins’ control is still questionable, his stuff is among the best in the Big Ten. He throws a fastball in the 92-94 mph range that has been up to 97, with a hard slider in the mid 80s and a cutter that averages around 90 mph. It’s an explosive pitch mix, though he will need to continue making strides with his delivery and command to make the most of it.
• Ranked #394 prospect in 2018 draft
  Perkins has been a standout in baseball and football for Kokomo (Ind.) High and this fall helped the football team to the state championship game as a wingback. Perkins' future is on the diamond and he is committed to pitch at Louisville. Listed at 6-foot-2, 208 pounds, he is solidly built and has a powerful fastball that he regularly runs into the mid-90s. He pairs it with a hard slider that flashes above-average.  While Perkins has electric stuff, he hasn't learned how to harness it yet and his control trouble figures to push him to college.

• December, 2017 Scouting Report
  Perkins has been a standout in baseball and football for Kokomo (Ind.) High and this fall helped the football team to the state championship game as a wingback. Perkins' future is on the diamond and he is committed to pitch at Louisville. Listed at 6-foot-2, 208 pounds, he is solidly built and has a powerful fastball that he regularly runs into the mid-90s. He pairs it with a hard slider that flashes above-average.  While Perkins has electric stuff, he hasn't learned how to harness it yet and his control trouble figures to push him to college.