ROBERT GURGANUS
ROBERT GURGANUS
BA GRADE
60
Risk: High
SCOUTING GRADES
FB: 60.
CB: 60
SL: 45.
CHG: 50.
CTL: 60.
Projected future grades on 20-80 scouting scale
Born: Dec. 6, 1997. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-3. Wt.: 197. Signed: Venezuela, 2014. Signed by: Oz Ocampo/Oscar Alvarado (Astros).
When he was training with Carlos Guillen as an amateur, Franklin Perez was a strong-armed third baseman. But in reality, he was a pitcher who just hadn’t found his true home yet. When he moved to the mound, he quickly showed a delivery and an aptitude that seemed somewhat remarkable for a newly minted pitcher. He quickly surpassed many more experienced pitchers in the 2014 international amateur class as a clean delivery and ability to work in the strike zone made Perez stand out. He missed a month early the 2017 season with a knee injury but still reached Double-A before his 20th birthday. The Tigers made him the signature acquisition in the Justin Verlander trade, although the Aug. 31 deal came late enough in the season that Perez never got into a game with a Tigers club.
The Tigers have pitching prospects with higher ceilings than Perez, but none who combine stuff and feel like Perez does. For a young pitcher, Perez already understands many of the finer details of the craft. He responds quickly to instruction and shows an aptitude for adjustments. After working on a new grip for his slider in just one side session, he successfully took it into his next game. Perez generally sits 92-94 mph, although he can touch 95-96 at his best. There are some scouts who believe that he may end up throwing harder in his 20s because his delivery is clean and he has plenty of athleticism. What’s most notable is he commands all four of his pitches. His 75-80 mph curveball is his best secondary pitch. He’s long had an ability to spin it, with 12-to-6 break, and he’s shown he can loosen it up as an early-count strike or tighten it as a swing-and-miss out pitch. His changeup is a potentially average pitch as well, with more deception than late fade. He’s messed with a slider as well. It’s hard (88-89 mph) with late movement. It could be described as almost a slutter, as it’s in between a cutter and a bigger slider, but because of its power and late movement it’s reasonably effective.
Perez doesn’t blow hitters away like a future No. 1, but he also doesn’t have all that much left to refine to be a future middle-of-the-rotation starter. He’ll head to Double-A Erie, but could be only a year away from Detroit.
TOP PROSPECTS OF THE DECADE
Year |
Player, Pos. |
2017 Org |
2008 |
Rick Porcello, RHP |
Red Sox |
2009 |
Rick Porcello, RHP |
Red Sox |
2010 |
Jacob Turner, RHP |
Nationals |
2011 |
Jacob Turner, RHP |
Nationals |
2012 |
Jacob Turner, RHP |
Nationals |
2013 |
Nick Castellanos, 3B/OF |
Tigers |
2014 |
Nick Castellanos, 3B/OF |
Tigers |
2015 |
Steven Moya, OF |
Tigers |
2016 |
Michael Fulmer, RHP |
Tigers |
2017 |
Matt Manning, RHP |
Tigers |
BEST TOOLS
Best Hitter For Average |
Michael Gerber |
Best Power Hitter |
Christin Stewart |
Best Strike-Zone Discipline |
Sam McMillan |
Fastest Baserunner |
Derek Hill |
Best Athlete |
Derek Hill |
Best Fastball |
Beau Burrows |
Best Curveball |
Franklin Perez |
Best Slider |
Alex Faedo |
Best Changeup |
Sandy Baez |
Best Control |
John Schreiber |
Best Defensive Catcher |
Jake Rogers |
Best Defensive Infielder |
Sergio Alcantara |
Best Infield Arm |
Dawel Lugo |
Best Defensive Outfielder |
Derek Hill |
Best Outfield Arm |
Jose Azocar |
Year |
Club (League) |
Class |
W |
L |
ERA |
G |
GS |
2015 |
Astros Orange (DSL) |
R |
1 |
2 |
4.37 |
11 |
9 |
|
Astros (GCL) |
R |
0 |
2 |
4.80 |
5 |
1 |
2016 |
Quad Cities (MWL) |
LoA |
3 |
3 |
2.84 |
15 |
10 |
2017 |
Buies Creek (CAR) |
HiA |
4 |
2 |
2.98 |
12 |
10 |
|
Corpus Christi (TL) |
AA |
2 |
1 |
3.09 |
7 |
6 |
Minor League Totals |
10 |
10 |
3.33 |
50 |
36 |
||
Year |
Club (League) |
CG |
SV |
IP |
H |
HR |
2015 |
Astros Orange (DSL) |
0 |
0 |
35 |
34 |
1 |
|
Astros (GCL) |
0 |
0 |
15 |
19 |
0 |
2016 |
Quad Cities (MWL) |
0 |
1 |
67 |
63 |
1 |
2017 |
Buies Creek (CAR) |
1 |
2 |
54 |
38 |
4 |
|
Corpus Christi (TL) |
0 |
1 |
32 |
33 |
2 |
Minor League Totals |
1 |
4 |
203 |
187 |
8 |
|
Year |
Club (League) |
BB |
SO |
K/9 |
WHIP |
AVG |
2015 |
Astros Orange (DSL) |
11 |
44 |
11.3 |
1.29 |
.250 |
|
Astros (GCL) |
3 |
17 |
10.2 |
1.47 |
.292 |
2016 |
Quad Cities (MWL) |
19 |
75 |
10.1 |
1.23 |
.250 |
2017 |
Buies Creek (CAR) |
16 |
53 |
8.8 |
0.99 |
.191 |
|
Corpus Christi (TL) |
11 |
25 |
7.0 |
1.38 |
.266 |
Minor League Totals |
60 |
214 |
9.5 |
1.22 |
.241x |
|