Glen Perkins
| IP | 624 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 3.88 |
| WHIP | 1.288 |
| BB/9 | 2.279 |
| SO/9 | 7.269 |
- Full name Glen Weston Perkins
- Born 03/02/1983 in Saint Paul, MN
- Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 205 / Bats: L / Throws: L
- School Minnesota
- Debut 09/21/2006
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Drafted in the 1st round (22nd overall) by the Minnesota Twins in 2004 (signed for $1,425,000).
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If Perkins was bigger than 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, he'd be a lock first-rounder. Even still, he's drawing interest in the back half of the first round and likely won't make it past the supplemental picks. He's a lefthander who shows three plus pitches at times and commands them well. Perkins maintains an 88-92 mph fastball throughout games and can throw it to both sides of the plate. His changeup is his second-best pitch, and he has a good curveball that scouts would like to see him use more often. At the same point of their careers, his stuff is much better than that of former Gophers lefty Denny Neagle, a third-round pick in 1989. The only thing not to love is Perkins' body. While he won't grow much taller, he could firm himself up. Academically ineligible in 2002, Perkins set a Minnesota record with 117 strikeouts in 105 innings as a redshirt freshman last year. He also became the first pitcher to run the table with an 8-0 conference record since the Big 10 switched to an eight-series regular season. Perkins has been nearly as dominant this spring, going 6-0, 2.02 in his first seven conference starts. He could be attractive to the hometown Twins, who have five choices before the second round.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Born in St. Paul and a product of the University of Minnesota, Perkins was on his way to becoming a hometown hero, earning a spot on the 2006 playoff roster. Then injury and indecision sidetracked him. He began 2007 with one Triple-A start before joining the big league bullpen, where he pitched somewhat effectively before straining a muscle behind his shoulder. After a brief return to the mound in July, he was out until August. The Twins still have mixed opinions on whether he'll be a starter or reliever. His stuff fits the starter profile, with a solid fastball and changeup to go with a plus curveball. At his best, Perkins can touch 94 mph with his fastball and ride it on righthanders. His curve has been a true hammer at times. His stuff usually is a grade lower when he works out of the rotation, however, and while he was hurt, other starters moved forward. Minnesota would like Perkins to begin the year as a starter in Triple-A so it can evaluate him in that role. If a need arises in the major league bullpen, however, he could go back to relief. -
A Minnesota native, Perkins starred for the hometown Golden Gophers for two years before the Twins took him 22nd overall in 2004. He finished the 2006 season with a September callup, pitching so well out of the bullpen that he beat out Matt Garza for a spot on the playoff roster. Perkins has above-average stuff and throws strikes. His fastball took a small jump in 2006, regularly sitting at 92-93 mph and touching 95. It has been his strikeout pitch for much of his career. His curveball is a put-away pitch, and he can add and subtract velocity from it. He long has shown a good feel for a solid-average changeup. While Perkins has matured, he still sometimes lets mistakes in the field get to him. He was more focused the higher up the ladder he pitched. Staying in top shape has been difficult for him, but he generally has succeeded. With Francisco Liriano shelved, Perkins is at the front of the line along with Garza to earn a spot in the big league rotation. At the least, the Twins believe Perkins can help them immediately as a reliever. -
The last player to sign out of the Twins' 2004 draft class, Perkins accepted a $1.425 million bonus and got right to work. He turned heads with his debut and continued to gain admirers when he reached Double- A in his first full season. His stock continued to rise when he was one of the few starting pitchers to have consistent success in the Arizona Fall League. Perkins got in better shape as a pro and saw his fastball increase from 88-92 to 91-94 mph. That made his advanced changeup even better. He also began throwing two different curveballs, a hard breaker and a slower version to throw off hitters' timing. He has a strong mound presence, good feel for pitching and solid makeup. Perkins isn't much of an athlete and has flat feet, which previously kept him from working out as aggressively as some would have liked. Wearing orthotics has solved that problem. Hit harder than expected in Double-A, Perkins will return there to anchor the rotation. With a successful first half, he could soon find himself in Triple-A. -
The 25th and last signee out of the Twins' 2004 draft, Perkins accepted a $1.425 million bonus and promptly set about turning heads. He pitches at 88-90 mph and touches 92, but he's all about command and control. Area scout Mark Wilson and Midwest supervisor Joel Lepel liked his advanced changeup, average curveball and strong mound presence. Perkins knows how to attack hitters' weaknesses, use all four quadrants of the strike zone and work inside. At some point he'll incorporate a cut fastball into his repertoire. Perkins isn't much of an athlete and has flat feet, which keeps him from working out as aggressively as preferred. He also missed 2 1/2 weeks during instructional league with a lower back problem. There's some question about his stamina and whether he'll ultimately wind up in the bullpen. As a product of a solid college program, Perkins could move quickly through the system, especially one that lacks a multitude of upper-level lefties. He could start his first full season in Double-A as the Twins seek to ease a rotation logjam at the lower levels.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Of the three 2004 first-round college pitchers who saw time in the MWL, Perkins was the only one to qualify for the list. Thomas Diamond (Rangers) has an explosive arm and would have cracked the Top 10 if he had enough innings, while Chris Lambert (Cardinals) wasn't as impressive. Perkins can't match Diamond's mid-90s fastball, but he is a lefthander with three average-to-plus pitches. He throws an 88-92 mph fastball, a curveball and a changeup. Area scouts who saw him this spring said Perkins has better stuff than Denny Neagle, another University of Minnesota southpaw, had at the same point of his career. Perkins also has an excellent feel for pitching. He throws strikes, changes speeds and works both sides of the plate with ease.
