Fernando Perez

Perez put up impressive numbers at Central Arizona (.338/.399/.571), especially considering Arizona junior colleges use wood bats and he could have been a senior in high school. A Mexico native, he moved to California to live with his uncle in 2010, his sophomore year. He played two years at Otay Ranch High in Chula Vista, Calif., but had enough credits to graduate and joined childhood friend Jorge Flores at Central Arizona. Perez shared the middle infield with Flores, spending most of his time at second base, though he profiles better at third. He started hot with the bat, then went through a slump, but battled through the adversity. A lefthanded hitter, Perez got pull-happy during his slump, but generally has a smooth swing with good balance and bat speed. He made adjustments and knows how to use the whole field. Scouts see him as an average to plus hitter with average power potential. He has a strong arm and soft hands, but will have to work hard to remain at third base because of his thick lower half and questionable footwork.