Texas Rangers Fall Instructional League Report: Part 2

I recently had the privilege of attending the FIL and I’d like to share some of my observations on the players whom I was able to either see play in game/simulated/side action, speak with personally, or gather information about from the players/scouts in attendance.

Martin Perez: Exceptional player/person. I watched Perez throw a side session and I was really impressed with his stuff. His clean, repeatable mechanics in combination with excellent raw stuff point to a pitcher that far exceeds the 17 years of Martin Perez.

His fastball has excellent life and sources say he can already run it up to 94 mph. His curveball, perhaps his best pitch, is a serious hammer. He can drop it into the strike zone at will. His change-up shows promise and will end up giving Perez an arsenal of three above-average pitches to choose from.

I had the privilege of conducting a lengthy interview with Perez, and I can honestly say that it was one of my favorite ones ever. Perez is extremely confident in his ability, but, like Michael Main, doesn’t feel the need to wear it like a badge on his sleeve, or as a chip on his shoulder. He is also one of the smartest players I have ever talked to.

The cool thing is that his knowledge isn’t limited to just the baseball diamond. Perez can speak intelligently about anything you throw at him. I really can’t say enough about this kid. I have a feeling that he could end up being one of the top prospects in baseball at some point. No joke.

My interview with Perez should be ready to go later on this fall.