Chris Perez Stats & Scouting Report

IP	379
ERA	3.515
WHIP	1.237
BB/9	3.918
SO/9	8.596

Full name Christopher Ralph Perez
Born 07/01/1985 in Bradenton, FL
Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 225 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Miami (FL)
Debut 05/16/2008
Drafted in the C-A round (42nd overall) by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2006 (signed for $800,000).

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Since signing for $800,000 as a sandwich pick in 2006, Perez has been groomed to be the Cardinals' closer of the future. He got his first taste of the role in August, saving six games in six opportunities. Perez has a wicked fastball that delighted the Busch Stadium radar gun when he arrived. He can throw it consistently at 95 mph and dial up to 97-98 when necessary. His fastball has natural sink and he offsets it with a biting slider that hums in the high-80s. Perez has a gunslinger attitude and was unfazed by his hiccups at the big league level. Command and inexperience continue to block Perez from being dubbed St. Louis' closer. The wipeout slider he could get hitters to fish for in the minors isn't quite as effective in the majors, and he may revisit a curveball to give him a downshift pitch that complements his high-velocity duo. To finish games in the big leagues, he must develop a plus pitch other than his fastball that he can throw for a strike. Manager Tony La Russa refused to anoint Perez his closer in August and won't be doing so to start 2009 either. Perez will open the season as a late-inning reliever, getting his seasoning in the seventh inning with the idea he'll ascend to the ninth once he improves his grip on his repertoire.
When the Cardinals pulled Perez out of Miami with the 42nd pick of the 2006 draft, they earmarked him for a swift climb through the organization. He hasn't disappointed. He opened his first full season in Double-A and botched his first save opportunity, then converted his next 27 before a promotion to Triple-A. Perez has the best fastball in the system, rifling it consistently in the mid-90s with natural sink. Yet his best pitch may be an 85-87 mph slider with sudden bite that he's willing to throw in any count. The combination made him nearly unhittable, as he held righthanders to a .115 average and lefties to a .151 mark last season. He has the guts for the closer role. The only thing that could keep Perez from the majors in 2008 is his command. He also makes mistakes up in the strike zone, leaving him vulnerable to extra-base hits. St. Louis would like to see more consistent mechanics and increased dedication to conditioning. Ticketed for the Triple-A bullpen after a tour with Team USA's World Cup team, Perez could pitch his way into the big league bullpen with a strong spring. Closer Jason Isringhausen is signed through 2008, and Perez could replace him as early as 2009.
After brief dalliance as a starter, Perez spent his final two years in college as Miami's closer and had 12 saves to go with a 1.88 ERA last spring. The Cardinals took him 42nd overall in June and signed him for $800,000, earmarking him for a click climb through the system by send him to low Class A to close for a playoff-bound team. Perez has one of the best fastballs in the organization, throwing it consistently at 92-95 mph. His best pitch, however, is a devilish 83-87 mph slider that overmatches righthanders. They hit just .159 against him last summer. Perez' biggest challenge is harnessing his stuff. He walks too many batters, especially lefthanders, against whom his slider is less effective. He gets good life on his fastball when he locates it down in the zone, but he can't do that consistently yet. With his stuff and experience, Perez should rush through the system. St. Louis will continue to bring him along as a closer and believes he eventually can inherit that role in the majors. He'll open 2007 in high Class A.

Minor League Top Prospects

Perez took the fast track to the major leagues, reaching St. Louis less than two years after the Cardinals made him the 42nd overall pick of the 2006 draft. He dominated PCL hitters before his callup, holding them to a .190 average and stringing together 12 straight scoreless appearances in April and May. Perez brings three potential plus offerings to the table, beginning with a 94-98 mph fastball that features natural sink. He complements it with a hard slider that might actually be his best pitch, and a curveball that also has plus potential. The Cardinals have little doubt that Perez has the stuff and mentality to become a big league closer. Mechanical issues have plagued Perez in the past, hurting his command. He threw more strikes this year but still has room for more improvement. He has to make sure he stays on top of his pitches.
The Cardinals were looking for a reliever who could move quickly through their organization when they took Perez with a supplemental first-round pick in 2006, and he looked up to the job this season. He won universal acclaim as the best reliever in the league before moving up to Triple-A at the end of July. "He could have pitched in the big leagues this year," Clark said. Perez blew his first save opportunity in Springfield, then converted 27 straight with a 95-mph fastball and a wicked slider. His fastball has good sink, and his slider was an effective weapon against righthanders. Command is the only issue for Perez going forward. He was able to work his way out of jams in the TL, but he'll have to cut down on his walks to have success in the big leagues.