Detroit Tigers move prospect Wenceel Pérez to outfield-only because 'he can really hit'

LAKELAND, Fla. — A lot has happened to Detroit Tigers prospect Wenceel Pérez, a switch-hitting infielder, across the span of eight plate appearances and four games in spring training.

Pérez, whom the Tigers added to the 40-man roster more than 15 months ago, is responsible for three hits and two walks on offense and two errors, and one misplay on defense. He played his first game at second base, but after that, the Tigers changed his status to outfield-only for the remainder of big-league camp.

The Tigers plan to use Pérez at all three outfield positions.

"He's going to focus primarily in the outfield," manager A.J. Hinch said. "Some of it is the reps that we have, some of it is his best chance to contribute faster in the big leagues is going to be in the outfield. I'm not saying it's forever, but it is for this camp."

FELLOW PROSPECT: Tigers prospect Wilmer Flores throws 99.9 mph, seeks to be 'power pitcher' again

Pérez, still awaiting his MLB debut, isn't a stranger to the outfield.

The 24-year-old played 116 games in the minor leagues last season, hitting .274 with nine home runs, 63 walks (12% walk rate) and 86 strikeouts (16.4% strikeout rate). He stole a career-high 26 bases in 33 attempts.

"He can really hit and conduct at-bats," Hinch said. "He is one of the better baserunners in our organization."

Pérez spent his final 35 games of last season in Triple-A Toledo, hitting .264 with three homers, 27 walks and 29 strikeouts. He had a 16.9% walk rate and an 18.1% strikeout rate across 160 plate appearances with the Mud Hens.

On defense, Pérez took the field at second base (535⅓ innings), center field (206⅔ innings), left field (133⅓ innings) and right field (37⅔ innings). Previously, Pérez worked as a middle infielder with a handful of innings at third base. He made 12 errors at second base last season, primarily throwing errors.

The outfield was a new experience.

"After you play infield, it's easier to play outfield," said Pérez, who made two errors in four innings at second base in his first spring training game. "It's going to be good for me because that opens a spot for me playing both positions. I'm trying to be better at both positions."

ANOTHER UTILITY PLAYER: Don't forget about Andy Ibáñez. He is 'ready to play' wherever Tigers need him

Pérez is playing games in big-league spring training for the first time since the 2019 spring training when he came over from minor-league camp as a teenager for three plate appearances.

He spent all of last spring in big-league camp, but he was sidelined by a familiar back injury that first bothered him in the 2022 season. There were back issues to work through as recently as this past offseason, with Pérez rehabbing at the Tigers' facility in Lakeland following his sixth season in the minor leagues.

"I feel really good right now," Pérez said at the beginning of camp. "I'm out of rehab, and I feel really strong. I've felt great for the last two months. I have to make sure I do all of my exercises every day."

The back injury slowed Pérez's rise through the upper levels of the Tigers' farm system, as did his defense.

"Last year was not a lost year because he didn't make it to the big leagues," Hinch said, "but it does speed up the decision-making on how much he can impact the game."

As a switch-hitter, Pérez is better from the left side of the plate against right-handed pitchers. He hit all nine of his home runs — as well as 20 of his 25 doubles — as a left-handed hitter last season, also batting .301 with a .874 OPS against right-handers compared to .197 with a .514 OPS against left-handers.

In Thursday's 5-3 win, Pérez put his left-handed power on display with a 375-foot solo home run to against Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed reliever Dauri Moreta.

Pérez pulled an up-and-in slider down the right-field line.

"I always feel better from my left side than my right side," said Pérez, hitting .500 with two walks and one strikeout in four games, "because I face more right-handed pitchers."

JACKED UP: Tigers' Jack Flaherty saw team chemistry like this before. Fans may like the results

The next step for Pérez is establishing himself as a reliable defender in the outfield, and he still has some work to do.

In his second spring training game, he failed to call off his teammates while charging on a ball in shallow center field. The ball dropped between four defenders, then ricocheted off the shoe of diving shortstop Andrew Navigato. The ball then rolled into the vacant right field for an inside the park home run.

Besides that play, Pérez hasn't had a ball hit to him in center field through nine innings.

He will continue to get outfield reps in spring training in hopes of earning his way to the big leagues and helping the Tigers as a switch-hitting outfielder who can be serviceable at all three positions in the grass, plus second base.

"Sometimes, it's an intense feeling," said Pérez, who probably reports to Triple-A Toledo to start the season. "I'm here with these guys that are playing in the big leagues, but that's normal."

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.

Listen to our weekly Tigers show "Days of Roar" every Monday afternoon on demand at freep.com, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at freep.com/podcasts.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Why Detroit Tigers have move INF Wenceel Pérez to outfield this spring