Yohannis Perez

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Milwaukee Brewers #14 prospect in 2007
  Perez was one of five Cuban defectors who worked out at the Diamondbacks' complex in the Dominican Republic last summer. Brewers international scouting director Fernando Arango is from Matanzas, Cuba, and Perez' hometown is in the same province. Arango spearheaded the charge to sign Perez for $450,000. Overjoyed at attaining his freedom, Perez broke down crying in his first visit to a U.S. grocery store and is driven to succeed. He has drawn comparisons to Rickie Weeks for his strong wrists and quick hands, and to Yuniesky Betancourt for his overall game. Perez, who hasn't played for two years after defecting, put on some weight during his downtime and should play lighter when he gets back in shape. Before the layoff, Perez was a plus runner, covering 60 yards in 6.4 seconds. He was timed at 6.6 in the tryout. In the field, he has shown good instincts to go with soft hands, a strong arm and outstanding range. The Brewers were unable to get Perez to instructional league in the fall because they had trouble unblocking him with the U.S. Treasury Department, a process all Cuban players must go through. The Brewers invited him to big league camp and envision him starting the 2007 season in Double-A.