In the midst of a breakout season in 2024, righthander Luis Perales suffered a torn UCL that required Tommy John surgery.
When he returned to action at the end of the 2025 minor league season, roughly 15 months after surgery, it remained apparent that the 22-year-old Perales possesses stuff matched by few in the Red Sox system.Â
Perales has a high-octane arsenal—albeit with the sort of control issues typically seen in pitchers returning from TJ. His fastball reaches triple digits, and he proved capable of getting swings and misses on his cutter, slider and splitter.Â
Perales had been in Double-A at the time of his injury, and made one appearance back in Portland before a pair of season-ending appearances for Triple-A Worcester.
His ability to work in the zone with his 97-101 mph fastball proved inconsistent in those initial outings and into the Arizona Fall League. That represents an obvious area of focus, as will be his ability to land his splitter in or near the zone.
Perales overhauled his secondary pitches in 2024 to incorporate a splitter and cutter, while reshaping his slider. That was evidenced by his first career Triple-A outing in September, when he threw only cutters, sliders and splitters.
The righthander added considerable strength while rehabbing, and if he can throw enough strikes, his four-pitch arsenal gives him a chance to emerge as a midrotation starter or possibly a key reliever if the 6-foot-1 Perales does not address his control.
That sets him up to open 2026 in the Triple-A rotation, unless the Red Sox find it too tempting to have him open the year in the big league bullpen.
“Itâ€s been a long road,†Perales said via translator after he reached Worcester. “Iâ€m kind of surprised that Iâ€m here, but Iâ€m happy to be here.â€
SOX YARNS
— With director of amateur scouting Devin Pearson leaving to become the Nationals assistant GM, the Red Sox promoted Jake Bruml from assistant scouting director to head of the department.
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