Miguel Perez -- back on track

[Kc61]

Is Perez back to being a top ten Reds prospect? After injury, he came back and hit .322, OPS'd .835 at Sarasota and .923 at AA in brief stint.

Given his reputed defensive skills, if Perez can hit like that the Reds have something. For those who know, is he back?

[Mario-Rijo]

It may be too soon to say but I hope so. After he got hurt I still listed him as my breakout player of the year (Of course my 1st option was taken). He did well let's see if he can build on that momentum early in the season.

[Patrick Bateman]

I'd have trouble including him in the top 30. He has no stick. An extremely small sample doesn't change that. His future is either as a back-up or as Dane Sardhina Jr.

[camisadelgolf]

As far as the Reds' catching prospects go, I think he's been passed by Devin Mesoraco (of course) and Ryan Hanigan. I'd still put him ahead of the recently-acquired Alvin Colina, though. Miguel Perez has always had the glove, so if he can hit equal to or better than David Ross, he should have a Major League job somewhere.

[JaxRed]

There is no way that Hanigan has passed Perez on the prospect list. Hanigan is a nice guy, but he's just a warm body. I expect him to be removed from the 40 man roster over the off-season.

The question on Perez of course all center around his health and hitting. Never able to hit for either power or averge in his minor league career, Perez demonstrated both after coming back. Of course most of it was below the AA level.

Perez is still pretty young. He was 23 the entire season. So was the rib that was removed something that had been holding him back for years? Was the better numbers some combination of new health and maturity?

We won't know till next year for sure. The Reds probably know the answers to these questions, and he's probably at fall instructional league right now.

[dougdirt]

There is no way that Hanigan has passed Perez on the prospect list. Hanigan is a nice guy, but he's just a warm body. I expect him to be removed from the 40 man roster over the off-season.

The question on Perez of course all center around his health and hitting. Never able to hit for either power or averge in his minor league career, Perez demonstrated both after coming back. Of course most of it was below the AA level.

Perez is still pretty young. He was 23 the entire season. So was the rib that was removed something that had been holding him back for years? Was the better numbers some combination of new health and maturity?

We won't know till next year for sure. The Reds probably know the answers to these questions, and he's probably at fall instructional league right now.

Spot on.

[HokieRed]

IMHO, the serious catching prospects, among those close to the majors, are Tatum and Perez. One or the other of them may very well be a better choice to start than David Ross, particularly if his salary can be moved elsewhere.

[Patrick Bateman]

I think the only catching prospect we have is Mesoraco and he's 5+ years away. Next season the Reds are stuck with Ross or if they can move him will have to look from outside the organization.

Tatum and Perez could seemingly become back-ups if things go well, but that's really it.

[dougdirt]

I think the only catching prospect we have is Mesoraco and he's 5+ years away. Next season the Reds are stuck with Ross or if they can move him will have to look from outside the organization.

Tatum and Perez could seemingly become back-ups if things go well, but that's really it.

What makes you say that? Perez has always been well regarded as a great defender.... and while he played mostly in the FSL this year, he hit very well. What is to say that the rib problem didn't have a lot to do with bad hitting? I think at this point, we don't really know enough yet to decide on Perez one way or another.

[Patrick Bateman]

What makes you say that? Perez has always been well regarded as a great defender.... and while he played mostly in the FSL this year, he hit very well. What is to say that the rib problem didn't have a lot to do with bad hitting? I think at this point, we don't really know enough yet to decide on Perez one way or another.

It's not like he was ever a good hitter in the first place, so unless this rib problem has been effecting him since day one, I'm not going to suddenly chalk up his poor hitting skills to this injury.

He's 24 years old and he hasn't done aything above A ball. He has little power and his plate discipline is horrid. IMO, there are way too many holes for him to ever become any kind of respectable hitter. He can go as far as his defense will take him, and my guess is AAA some day.

I awlays thought baseball america missed the boat on him big time. I respect his defense, but his hitting skills are embarassing. Perhaps he can prove me wrong, but he doesn't possess one single hitting skill that makes me want to consider him a prospect.

Same goes for Tatum. Terrible hitter with terrible discipline. Again, I respect his defense, but he has a long way to go to be anything. Considering his age, I don't like the odds of him making much forward progress. IMO, the best case results for these guys are as defensive minded back-ups if they can become any kind of hitter. There is little value there, and as such I don't consider them to be anything more than what you could find as minor league free agents.

[HokieRed]

Are we talking good plate discipline in the incumbent, David Ross?

[JaxRed]

First of all, he wasn't 24 until after the season.... So he was 23 this year not 24.

Secondly, 23 is pretty damn young. Let's say he had gone to a 4 year college, graduated as a Senior at 22 and played at Billings the year he got drafted.

If he had risen to AA in his second year and put up great numbers, we'd be all over this guy as a top prospect.

[Patrick Bateman]

At this point Ross is a much better hitter than Perez or Tatum. It's not close.

This isn't because Ross is a good hitter. He's not. I'd like to see the Reds look elsewhere for catching next season (Michael Barrett???), but that doesn't mean Tatum/Perez is better than Ross. They can't hit AA pitching any better than Ross hits major league pitching. I'm guessing that will only get worse when they face advanced competition.

[Patrick Bateman]

First of all, he wasn't 24 until after the season.... So he was 23 this year not 24.

Okay that's fair, my bad

If he had risen to AA in his second year and put up great numbers, we'd be all over this guy as a top prospect

Except he didn't. He had 23 at-bats where he hit well, but continued to show a complete lack of patience. He was fine at A ball, but didn't show the skills required to be an effective hitter as he moves up.

Players with poor contact skills that are batting average dependent are complete disasters, especially when their power is near non existant.

[mth123]

Even if he just projects as a defensive minded back-up, that can be valuable especially when its cheap. Chad Moeller was $700K in 2007. Sal Fasano, Corky Miller, Paul Bako, Henry Blanco, Gary Bennett, Kelly Stinnett, Mike Defelice, etc. are guys who are on major league rosters. The state of catching is so poor these days that teams are begging vets who should have long been retired like Sandy Alomar, Brad Ausmus and Mike Leiberthal to hang around.

Perez is easily a prospect who should be protected on the 40 man roster and if his hitting has stepped forward with rib removed, he could even end up a platoon guy or part time starter. Even if not, he's as likely to be a major leaguer as those listed above. It beats scrounging around for the likes of Chad Moeller or offering too much money to some long past it vet to entice him to put off retirement.