Wenceel Perez

Physical Description: Listed at 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds, but in person he appears maybe 10 pounds lighter than that. Average height and build. Has added some heft to his backside in recent years, but not in a detrimental way.

Hit: 50

Perez has always shown good-bat-to-ball skills and a solid idea of the strike zone, but his hit tool jumped a full grade in 2022. Formerly a ground-ball hitter, he added loft without sacrificing contact ability. He uses a short, quick swing from both sides of the plate to spray line drives to all fields. Handles breaking balls and offspeed pitches well.

Power: 45

Perez shows fringe-average raw power, and it may actually play a tick better than that in games because he has a knack for pulling balls over the fence. He shows more power and a little more loft from his left-handed swing, while his right-handed swing is more gap-to-gap line drives.

Speed: 55

An above-average runner since turning pro, Perez consistently gets from the left side of the plate to first base in under 4.2 seconds. He’s a plus runner underway, and he shows solid instincts on the basepaths. He may lose a step in his late 20s, but he should be good for 15-20 stolen bases in his prime.

Defense: 45

Perez came up as a shortstop, but he’s not a viable defender on the left side of the infield. His first-step quickness and range are average, but his hands aren’t terribly soft, and his footwork and throwing are inconsistent. He has the physical tools to be close to average at second base, but he may ultimately be best in the outfield.

Arm: 45

Perez’s arm strength is fringy. It’s good enough to make double-play turns and he can make throws from behind second base, but his accuracy wavers wildly, and he doesn’t have the strength to make all the necessary throws from the left side.

Overall: Perez was one of the better stories in the system in 2022, remaking his swing to return himself to prospect status. His mix of hitting ability, power, and speed should get him some extended looks, but he lacks a true carrying tool, and overall his offensive profile resembles that of a utility man. Unfortunately, his inability to play the left side of the infield in anything more than an emergency situation limits that utility. His best bet at a big-league career is either sharpening his defense at second base, or learning to handle the outfield.