Martin Perez

2013

Subscribe now to see our 2013 outlook.

2012

Perez entered the 2010 season as one of the top young pitching prospects in all of baseball, though an inconsistent season as a 19-year old with Double-A Frisco took some of the shine off his start as 2011 neared. He pitched better last season, though his composite line across two levels (including 10 starts at Triple-A Round Rock) isn't jaw-dropping: 137.1 innings, 152 hits, 120:56 K:BB. The 72 hits allowed in 49 innings at Triple-A is the real warning sign, given that he allowed 117 hits in 99.2 innings at Double-A Frisco in 2010. There's clear bat-missing ability here by looking at his K/9IP totals which remain excellent for such a young starter, but consistency remains a real problem for him right now. Derek Holland struggled with consistency early in his career too, but appears to have turned the corner, so there's still every reason to think Perez projects as a solid No. 2 starter down the road. It's easy to forget he'll still be just 21 years old as 2012 opens.

2011

Perez pitched the full season at Double-A Frisco as a 19-year-old and suffered with his consistency all season. Buried amongst the disappointing campaign was 101 strikeouts in 99.2 innings, but also a whopping 117 hits allowed and 50 walks. His winter ball season was more of the same, mixing solid results with poor ones. He'll likely begin the year back at Double-A Frisco again given his struggles there, and remains among baseball's best pitching prospects given his age and past performance, but a quick start to the season would alleviate some of the worry following a disappointing season.

2010

You don’t see many 18-year-old pitchers skip High-A completely, but Perez did just that when he earned a promotion directly to Double-A Frisco after a solid start to the season at Low-A. He got beat around a bit at Double-A, but was a full year younger than anyone else in the league and we're dealing with an elite prospect here if he can stay healthy. He's the Rangers' best pitching prospect now that Neftali Feliz and Derek Holland have graduated, and a healthy season at Double-A Frisco will place him near the top of the list in all the minors if he's not there already.

2009

Perez made his pro debut as a 17-year old in 2007 in the Northwest League and acquitted himself quite well. Although his component ratios were not outstanding statistically, he held his own considering his age, and scouts like his stuff: 89-93 mph fastball and a nasty-ass curveball. Perez is a long way from the majors, and a lot of questions need to be addressed: can he stay healthy? Can he sharpen his command? Can he develop a changeup? Perez has a bright future if he can keep his arm attached. (Outlook courtesy of The Baseball Prospect Book 2008 by John Sickels, available only at Johnsickels.net.)