Rickardo Perez

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Philadelphia Phillies #17 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Perez was the centerpiece of the Phillies 2020-2021 international signing class and agreed to a $1.2 million deal out of Venezuela. He posted solid numbers as a 17-year-old in the Dominican Summer League in 2021, then had an impressive stateside debut in the Florida Complex League in 2022, where he slashed .349/.387/.398 in 30 games, despite missing time with a knee injury suffered in April.
  
  Scouting Report: Perez is a bat-first catcher with a smooth swing from the left side, with quick bat speed, feel for the barrel and good bat-to-ball skills. He has an aggressive approach at the plate, with a high chase rate and well below-average power currently. The Phillies believe he will add more power as he matures, thanks in part to his bat control, but some opposing scouts are skeptical that he will ever hit for much impact. He struggled to make hard contact and had an 83.8 mph average exit velocity in 2022. Perez has solid catch-and-throw skills and an average arm, but he isn't a standout athlete, with bottom-of-the-scale speed, and will need to improve his conditioning to prevent injuries moving forward.
  
  The Future: With power gains Perez could profile as a second-division regular, although some opposing scouts feel he's more likely to be an emergency up/down catcher. He will make his full-season debut at Low-A Clearwater in 2023 as a 19-year-old.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 50. Power: 30. Speed: 20. Fielding: 45. Arm: 50.
• 
  Ranked Philadelphia Phillies #25 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Perez was the headliner of the Phillies 2020-2021 international signing class, agreeing to a $1.2 million deal. Perez made his professional debut in 2021, appearing in 43 games in the Dominican Summer League. He put up solid numbers as a 17-year-old, hitting .256/.370/.281. Perez finished the year at instructs, and continued to hit well.
  
  Scouting Report: Perez shot up to 6-foot-1 and his prospect status rose with his height. He stands out for a smooth stroke from the left side as well as the ability to barrel balls in games. He has an adjustable, quick swing and projects for average power in the future thanks to his bat control and loft in his swing. He has solid catch-and-throw skills and improved his arm strength, with his arm projecting as average. Perez is a well below-average runner and needs to watch his conditioning, as his body has not aged well.
  
  The Future: Perez is still a bat-first catcher, but his improvement defensively gives him an avenue to stick at the position moving forward. He should make his stateside debut in 2021.
  
• 
  Ranked Philadelphia Phillies #20 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: The Phillies made a big splash by signing Perez, who headlines the team’s 2020-2021 international class. Perez was one of the top catchers available on the market and signed for $1.2 million from the same Venezuelan program that produced righthander Francisco Morales.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Perez’s stock has risen as he’s grown taller and stronger, getting up to 6-foot-1, 165 pounds. He has a smooth, fluid stroke from the left side and a knack for barreling balls in games, while staying balanced throughout his swing and using the whole field. He has a chance to grow into average or better power thanks to his ability to generate loft and his bat control. Perez has developed an average arm to go with solid catch-and-throw skills behind the plate.
  
  THE FUTURE: Perez improved his throwing ability, making it more likely he can stick behind the plate long term. He’ll likely get his first assignment in the Dominican Summer League.

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Perez was the centerpiece of the Phillies 2020-2021 international signing class and agreed to a $1.2 million deal out of Venezuela. He posted solid numbers as a 17-year-old in the Dominican Summer League in 2021, then had an impressive stateside debut in the Florida Complex League in 2022, where he slashed .349/.387/.398 in 30 games, despite missing time with a knee injury suffered in April.
  
  Scouting Report: Perez is a bat-first catcher with a smooth swing from the left side, with quick bat speed, feel for the barrel and good bat-to-ball skills. He has an aggressive approach at the plate, with a high chase rate and well below-average power currently. The Phillies believe he will add more power as he matures, thanks in part to his bat control, but some opposing scouts are skeptical that he will ever hit for much impact. He struggled to make hard contact and had an 83.8 mph average exit velocity in 2022. Perez has solid catch-and-throw skills and an average arm, but he isn't a standout athlete, with bottom-of-the-scale speed, and will need to improve his conditioning to prevent injuries moving forward.
  
  The Future: With power gains Perez could profile as a second-division regular, although some opposing scouts feel he's more likely to be an emergency up/down catcher. He will make his full-season debut at Low-A Clearwater in 2023 as a 19-year-old.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 50. Power: 30. Speed: 20. Fielding: 45. Arm: 50.
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Perez was the centerpiece of the Phillies 2020-2021 international signing class and agreed to a $1.2 million deal out of Venezuela. He posted solid numbers as a 17-year-old in the Dominican Summer League in 2021, then had an impressive stateside debut in the Florida Complex League in 2022, where he slashed .349/.387/.398 in 30 games, despite missing time with a knee injury suffered in April.
  
  Scouting Report: Perez is a bat-first catcher with a smooth swing from the left side, with quick bat speed, feel for the barrel and good bat-to-ball skills. He has an aggressive approach at the plate, with a high chase rate and well below-average power currently. The Phillies believe he will add more power as he matures, thanks in part to his bat control, but some opposing scouts are skeptical that he will ever hit for much impact. He struggled to make hard contact and had an 83.8 mph average exit velocity in 2022. Perez has solid catch-and-throw skills and an average arm, but he isn't a standout athlete, with bottom-of-the-scale speed, and will need to improve his conditioning to prevent injuries moving forward.
  
  The Future: With power gains Perez could profile as a second-division regular, although some opposing scouts feel he's more likely to be an emergency up/down catcher. He will make his full-season debut at Low-A Clearwater in 2023 as a 19-year-old.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 50. Power: 30. Speed: 20. Fielding: 45. Arm: 50.
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 50/Extreme
  
  Track Record:: Perez was the headliner of the Phillies 2020-2021 international signing class, agreeing to a $1.2 million deal. Perez made his professional debut in 2021, appearing in 43 games in the Dominican Summer League. He put up solid numbers as a 17-year-old, hitting .256/.370/.281. Perez finished the year at instructs, and continued to hit well.
  
  Scouting Report: Perez shot up to 6-foot-1 and his prospect status rose with his height. He stands out for a smooth stroke from the left side as well as the ability to barrel balls in games. He has an adjustable, quick swing and projects for average power in the future thanks to his bat control and loft in his swing. He has solid catch-and-throw skills and improved his arm strength, with his arm projecting as average. Perez is a well below-average runner and needs to watch his conditioning, as his body has not aged well.
  
  The Future: Perez is still a bat-first catcher, but his improvement defensively gives him an avenue to stick at the position moving forward. He should make his stateside debut in 2021.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Perez was the headliner of the Phillies 2020-2021 international signing class, agreeing to a $1.2 million deal. Perez made his professional debut in 2021, appearing in 43 games in the Dominican Summer League. He put up solid numbers as a 17-year-old, hitting .256/.370/.281. Perez finished the year at instructs, and continued to hit well.
  
  Scouting Report: Perez shot up to 6-foot-1 and his prospect status rose with his height. He stands out for a smooth stroke from the left side as well as the ability to barrel balls in games. He has an adjustable, quick swing and projects for average power in the future thanks to his bat control and loft in his swing. He has solid catch-and-throw skills and improved his arm strength, with his arm projecting as average. Perez is a well below-average runner and needs to watch his conditioning, as his body has not aged well.
  
  The Future: Perez is still a bat-first catcher, but his improvement defensively gives him an avenue to stick at the position moving forward. He should make his stateside debut in 2021.
  
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The Phillies made a big splash by signing Perez, who headlines the team's 2020-2021 international class. Perez was one of the top catchers available on the market and signed for $1.2 million from the same Venezuelan program that produced righthander Francisco Morales.
  SCOUTING REPORT: Perez's stock has risen as he's grown taller and stronger, getting up to 6-foot-1, 165 pounds. He has a smooth, fluid stroke from the left side and a knack for barreling balls in games, while staying balanced throughout his swing and using the whole field. He has a chance to grow into average or better power thanks to his ability to generate loft and his bat control. Perez has developed an average arm to go with solid catch-and-throw skills behind the plate.
  THE FUTURE: Perez improved his throwing ability, making it more likely he can stick behind the plate long term. He'll likely get his first assignment in the Dominican Summer League.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The Phillies made a big splash by signing Perez, who headlines the team’s 2020-2021 international class. Perez was one of the top catchers available on the market and signed for $1.2 million from the same Venezuelan program that produced righthander Francisco Morales.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Perez’s stock has risen as he’s grown taller and stronger, getting up to 6-foot-1, 165 pounds. He has a smooth, fluid stroke from the left side and a knack for barreling balls in games, while staying balanced throughout his swing and using the whole field. He has a chance to grow into average or better power thanks to his ability to generate loft and his bat control. Perez has developed an average arm to go with solid catch-and-throw skills behind the plate.
  
  THE FUTURE: Perez improved his throwing ability, making it more likely he can stick behind the plate long term. He’ll likely get his first assignment in the Dominican Summer League.