Tyson Perez Is Back On Track
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.—A year and a half removed from his last pitch for Triple-A Fresno, righthander Tyson Perez is hoping to pick up where he left off.
Perez was enjoying the best season of his career in 2015 before an MRI revealed his right arm would require Tommy John surgery. On Sept. 23 of that year, a day after Perez watched his Fresno teammates win the Triple-A national championship, orthopedic surgeon and Astros team physician Thomas Mehlhoff performed the operation.
“It was tough, especially 2015,” said Perez, 27. “I was feeling really good and then to get injured, especially at the end of the year, it was really tough. But now that I’m healthy and I feel better than ever, I’m just trying to build on what I did that year.”
Perez, a 17th-round pick in 2011 from Fresno CC, resumed throwing a bit before spring training last year and got back into games in August. He pitched one inning in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League and three innings at short-season Tri-City.
The Astros rewarded Perez for his perseverance and past performance with an invitation to big league camp. He pitched in five Grapefruit League games before being reassigned to minor league camp.
“He was on track to come to camp last year until the injury,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. “I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to (let him) know that he’s still someone we’ve been keeping our eyes. He had a spectacular 2015 and obviously missed 2016.”
Perez, who was drafted by former general manager Ed Wade’s regime, complements his fastball with a cutter and a curveball. He was a starter earlier in his career before becoming a full-time reliever in 2014.
“I’m ready to go, so wherever they want to send me (is fine),” Perez said. “It’s not like they need to hold the reins on me or anything. I’m 100 percent ready to go. If I go back to Fresno for a little bit, hopefully I just start where I left off in 2015 and we’ll see what happens from there.”
SPACE SHOTS
• The Astros were playing Tony Kemp primarily at second base this spring after adding outfielders Josh Reddick, Carlos Beltran and Nori Aoki in the offseason
• Catcher Garrett Stubbs was limited early in his first big league camp because of discomfort in his throwing shoulder.
— Jake Kaplan covers the Astros for the Houston Chronicle
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