Alex Periard
| IP | 458 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.52 |
| WHIP | 1.472 |
| BB/9 | 2.889 |
| SO/9 | 5.345 |
- Full name Alexandre Mark Periard
- Born 06/15/1987 in St. Eustache, QC, Canada
- Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 215 / Bats: L / Throws: R
- School Polyvalente Deux-Montagnes
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Drafted in the 16th round (466th overall) by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2004.
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Periard has been well known to Canadian scouts for awhile, but he improved his stock after he performed well at an elite 2003 junior camp in Montreal. An impressive showing with Team Canada on a trip to Florida in March elevated his status further, as he flashed three average pitches and showed a much improved curveball and change. Periard will be one of the youngest players in this year's draft, as he won't turn 17 until June 15. He has a large frame but a slender build with lots of room for development. He has a no windup delivery, and a quick arm from a high three-quarters slot. His fastball sits in the 88-91 mph range with late tailing life, but seems much harder because the ball gets on hitters in a hurry. He complements his fastball with a curve that has good depth and bite and a change with sink and fade. Periard is aggressive with mound presence beyond his years. He projects to have plus command and control of all his pitches, but will need minor mechanical adjustments.
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The Brewers expected big things from Periard after a strong 2008 season, but he showed up for his first big league camp with shoulder tightness and never threw a pitch there. He opened the year on the disabled list and didn't pitch well when he returned to the mound in mid-June. The good news was that Periard was healthy by season's end, though his fastball didn't sit in the low 90s as it had the year before. When he's 100 percent, Periard uses his strong lower half to pound the bottom of the zone with lively fastballs. He also has a nice slider and a decent changeup. He does a good job of staying ahead in the count, inducing grounders and letting his infield go to work for him. He's still learning the nuances of setting up hitters and using both sides of the plate. Milwaukee likes his confidence and poise. Had things gone as expected in 2009, Periard would be vying for a spot in the big league rotation this spring. Instead, he'll be trying to make the Hunstville staff. Though he has taken a step back, he's still just 22. -
Periard is taking a slow, steady path through the system, which seemingly parallels his game. He's not a flashy strikeout pitcher, rather a dependable source of groundouts who touches 95 mph with his fastball at times. He pitches regularly at 91-92 mph with good sink. His slider is an out pitch and his changeup is average, though he needs to be more consistent with both. Periard also throws a curveball that needs work. He struggled after being promoted to Double-A in the second half of 2008, but he was just 21 and his performance didn't concern the Brewers. When he moved up, he learned that he'll have to pitch to both sides or the plate or he'll get hit. He has a strong lower half that allows him to drop and drive and keep the ball down. An aggressive, confident pitcher, he pounds the strike zone and lets his infield defense work for him, though it's clear he still needs to refine his command. The Brewers will send Periard back to Huntsville to start 2009 and hope he earns another midseason promotion. -
The Brewers knew it would take Periard time to develop when they drafted him as a 16-year-old out of high school in Canada. He played in the Rookie-level Arizona League for two years before moving up to low Class A and making major strides last season. He touched the mid-90s and pitched regularly in the low 90s with his fastball, backing it up with a curveball and a solid changeup. His velocity has jumped 5-6 mph since he turned pro and his command improved considerably. Periard pitches to contact, keeping the ball down and getting a lot of groundouts. He has strong legs that allow him to drop, drive and keep the ball down in the strike zone. The Brewers also like the aggressiveness and confidence he shows on the mound. The only thing that slowed him down in 2007 was an inner-ear infection that shut him down for a month. By the end of the season, Periard had re-established himself as the No. 1 pitcher in West Virginia's rotation during the South Atlantic League playoffs. Still young and filling out, he could be ready for a breakout this year in high Class A.
