For the purpose of our series of posts, we define the word fringe as any prospects, which we considered, that were absent from MMN’s own Top 40 Prospect lists. The purpose of the series is to identify prospects that are showing promise above what fans might expect and what their futures will hold within the Mets organization.
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Pedro Perez – 1B/3B
DOB: 8/31/1994
Bats/Throws: Both/Right
2013 Total Stats: .264/.314/.365, 5 Double, Triple, 3 HR, 24 RBI, 11 BB, 175 PA
2013 Review:
Pedro Perez was signed by the Mets in 2011 at only 16 years old, from his native country of Colombia. He played this past season with Kingsport (Rookie) and had a good rebound year after playing only 12 games in 2012 due to an injury. On the defensive side, he showed signs of improvement from his previous full season in 2011 by playing mostly third base with a .891 FLD % with ten errors in 92 chances. At first base he played in 10 games with a .976 FLD % with two errors in 84 chances.
Prospect Outlook:
Perez had a good first year playing in pro ball in the Dominican Summer League in 2011 where he batted .262/.350/.343, with nine doubles, a triple, two home runs, 38 RBI, 15 stolen bases and 25 walks in 243 plate appearances. In the early part of July 2012, he was sidelined with an injury to his abdomen that required surgery while playing at Kingsport, and was forced to miss the remainder of the season which also delayed his development process. Back in action in 2013 with Kingsport, he almost mimicked his stats from 2011 which showed that the injury that he suffered did not set him back too far. On the defensive side he is versatile and plays multiple positions, which will help him as he continues to work his way up through the system. The Mets prospect depth chart in the infield is deep, but if he continues to develop and can become an impact prospect, he should join the mix.
2014 Prediction:
Coming back in 2013 from an injury and surgery to his stomach, which caused him to lose most of a 2012 season, and being productive showed his determination to continue with his progress and growth in pro ball. I feel that he has earned an opportunity to be moved up in the system and ideally Brooklyn (A-) would be the next stop. He should do well in that great baseball atmosphere. Actually most of the prospects that I have spoken with have said that playing in Brooklyn was a turning point in their careers, so the experience could be a very good one for him. A bigger jump to Savannah (A) is possible since their season starts in April and Brooklyn doesn’t start until June. Playing in Savannah would be a great opportunity for Perez to showcase his skills and try and stick and earn a spot. 2014 will be a test to see where he will fit in the organization, but I see good things for his future as he continues to develop.
Prospects On The Fringe:
Hey David,
Great article. This is really cool what you get to do! 🙂 Have a blessed day!
Dale
Sometimes these fringe players turn out to be the Jayson Nix’s of baseball. They are very important to teams who are set are every position but need someone who can fill in for a few days a week and not hurt the team. With Perez he is still very young so he might develop into a starter. He hasn’t shown much power but as he grows older and puts on some weight he might provide a little more power. It is someone the Mets could keep an eye on and could also be a trade chip in a future trade. Good post David, keep up the good work.