Wily Peralta Stats & Scouting Report — College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects

Background: When his handlers were shopping Peralta out of the Dominican Republic in 2005, they tried to sell him as an outfielder with raw power, speed and athleticism. But after the Brewers saw him display a quick arm capable of flashing a 96-mph fastball, they preferred him on the mound. He signed for $450,000 but suffered a significant setback early in his career, missing the entire 2007 season after undergoing Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery. He has progressed steadily since then, developing into the workhorse pitcher Milwaukee always envisioned. At the outset of 2011, an injury to Zack Greinke gave him the chance to open the season in the Brewers rotation, but Peralta put too much pressure on himself and gave up 15 hits and 10 runs in 10 innings in big league camp. Instead, he returned to Double-A Huntsville after finishing 2010 there and led the Southern League with a 3.46 ERA. He earned a promotion to Triple-A Nashville in August and excelled even more, posting a 2.03 ERA and 40 strikeouts and just 11 walks in 31 innings with the Sounds.

Scouting Report: With a big, physical frame and a repeatable delivery, Peralta regularly sits at 91-95 mph with his explosive fastball. When he reaches back for a little extra, he can get up to 98. He uses both two-seam and four-seam fastballs, with the two-seamer running down and in to righthanders, jamming them and often breaking their bats. He throws on a downward plane and keeps his fastball down in the zone, inducing grounders when he isn't missing bats. Peralta has developed better command of his secondary pitches, a low-80s slider and a changeup. Most scouts prefer his slider, which has some deception and sharp bite. He has improved his changeup in the last year and it features some good sink, though it still lacks consistency. Peralta has made strides with his control and command, but he still needs to throw more strikes and improve the location of his secondary pitches. He does a fine job of controlling the running game, permitting just four steals in 11 attempts in 2011. He fields his position well but has been an automatic out as a hitter, surprising considering his background. Peralta's confidence has continued to rise with his success and he displays more poise on the mound than he did early in his career. He's a hard worker who listens to instruction and absorbs it. He has a thick body and conditioning will always be key to his success, but to his credit he has been committed to staying in good shape.

The Future: Early in his career, when he wasn't getting his secondary pitches over the plate, many observers thought Peralta profiled best as a closer or set-up man. The Brewers stuck with him in the rotation and had him keep working on all of his pitches, and now they have a possible No. 2 or 3 starter. He'll get a good look in big league camp in spring training but, barring an injury to a veteran, he'll almost certainly begin 2012 back in Triple-A. Milwaukee believes he'll be big league-ready during the year if needed and definitely if Greinke or Shaun Marcum departs as a free agent after the season.