Detroit Tigers Prospects: Wenceel Perez keeps marching toward debut

Detroit Tigers prospect infielder Wenceel Perez continues working hard.

It has been quite some time since infielder Wenceel Perez has joined the Detroit Tigers organization. The 23-year-old prospect from the Dominican Republic signed with the Tigers in 2016 as an international signee.

It's been seven years since the once 16-year-old shortstop joined the Detroit Tigers organization. He's yet to make his debut, as Perez has taken a long and winding path to get through the different levels of the organization, but that is okay. He continues making strides in his development, which is what the Tigers want to see.

Perez continues to march on, and in the last couple of summers, Perez has really made some progress, exciting the Tigers brass. Perez may not be the common name when talking of a prospect who will be promoted, but his versatility might give him an edge.

Though the success of players like Colt Keith and Justyn-Henry Malloy is hard to overlook, Perez has also turned in a solid performance during the 2023 season, leaving him worthy of the conversation. The Tigers have seen Perez develop well, working hard to perfect his craft as he's moved through the different levels of the organization.

During the 2023 season, Perez has logged games across three levels of the organization. Just five games in Single-A with the Lakeland Flying Tigers led him to an 8-for-21 line. In 76 games played with the Double-A Erie SeaWovles, Perez slashed .271/.353/.375 with nine doubles, two triples, and six home runs with 28 RBI over 299 at-bats.

He earned himself a promotion to Triple-A to join the Toledo Mud Hens back at the end of July, and he has managed 102 at-bats over 28 games played. Perez has slashed .304/.434/.569 with 12 doubles, three triples, and three home runs, with 18 RBI to his credit.

Perez may not be getting a September call-up in 2023 or be the most exciting prospect in the upper levels of the organization offensively, but he deserves a pat on the back. It's been quite some time since Perez joined the Tigers organization, coming in as a shortstop.

However, he has made some serious strides on a path filled with adversity. Perez has developed into more of a second baseman but has the versatility to play on the left side of the field if needed. The 5-foot-11, 203-pound infield prospect has an athletic frame that should be able to play well at the MLB level someday.

He may not be the next greatest shortstop in all of Major League Baseball, but Perez should be able to be serviceable in a Tigers uniform when he arrives in Detroit. It may be unlikely to happen in 2023, but Perez has continued to make strides in the right direction to join the big league club.