Detroit Tigers: Top 20 prospects going into the 2020 season
By Tyler Kotila
Franklin Perez, RHP, Single-A in 2019
Another international signee who came to the team via trade is Franklin Perez. The Houston Astros signed Perez back in 2014 to a minor league contract. In 2017, the Astros would send Perez to the Detroit Tigers along with prospects Daz Cameron and Jake Rogers in the famed Justin Verlander trade.
Injuries have been the biggest downfall of Perez, who has struggled in recent years, now twenty-two-years old still in Single-A with Lakeland. Perez comes in a 6-foot-3, 197-pounds for the Tigers, only having thrown a combined twenty-seven innings during the last two seasons.
After last season was shortened due to cortisone injections that kept him off a mound from June to December of 2019, he only pitched in 7.2 innings over two starts. He only allowed two runs on seven hits with six punchouts in his minimal appearances.
In 2018, he pitched at the Single-A Lakeland level and in rookie ball for a combined 19.1 innings pitched. Perez would log a 6.52 ERA and 1.35 WHIP throughout seven starts where he allowed eighteen hits and thirteen runs.
When healthy, Perez features a four-pitch arsenal containing a fastball, curveball, slider, and changeup. Perez dials his fastball in around 92-94mph but can reach back for some more juice when needed topping closer to 96mph. His curveball is his bread and butter, whereas his slider is a newer development for him.
The curveball has excellent north/south, similar 12-6 movement that fools hitters. His changeup has good arm-side run and sinks that allow Perez to induce swings and misses. He has a light and smooth delivery that comes over the top allowing him to have a solid command over his pitches.
MLB Expectation: When healthy, Perez has all the right tools to crack the rotation as a starter for the Detroit Tigers. He has the makings of a number three starter for the Detroit Tigers, but health will play a huge factor in this, as mentioned above. The ability for Perez to stay healthy is going to determine if he amounts to the full potential he has for the Detroit Tigers.