Making the jump to Double-A Portland isn't always easy, but Boston Red Sox rising pitching prospect Luis Perales made it look seamless.
The 21-year-old right-hander made his Double-A debut Sunday against the Altoona Curve after being called up from High-A Greenville last week.
Perales dominated over five innings of work, allowing just two hits and one run, which was unearned, to go along with one walk and seven strikeouts. He threw 47 of his 67 pitches for strikes and earned the win. It's clear the Red Sox have managed Perales' workload all season as he has yet to throw more than five innings.
Perales started his outing with a bang as he struck out the side in order in the first inning.
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Perales has shot up Boston's prospect rankings since the Venezuela native signed with the Red Sox for $75,000 in July 2019. He is ranked as the ninth-best prospect in the Red Sox farm system by MLB Pipeline and is Boston's second-best pitching prospect behind Wikelman Gonzalez, who also pitches for Portland.
Part of the reason for Perales' rise is his exceptional pitching arsenal. He possesses a fastball that sits in the mid-90s and can reach 99 mph while also featuring a slider and changeup.
Perales only needed seven starts with Greenville this season to convince the Red Sox brass to promote him. He went 1-2 with a 3.42 ERA while accumulating 46 strikeouts in 26 1/3 innings. In his last start with the Drive, he racked up a career-high 12 strikeouts in five innings.
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And if Perales keeps on having performances on the mound like he did Sunday, he could be on the move again in the near futre.
Featured image via Annmarie Sinicki/Salem Red Sox
