Friday was a banner day for Cardinals prospect Delvin Perez, the team's top pick in the 2016 Draft.
Perez, a 17-year-old shortstop from the International Baseball Academy in Puerto Rico, went a perfect 5-for-5 in the leadoff spot for the Gulf Coast League Cardinals in a 7-3, 10-inning win over the GCL Astros. He hit a pair of doubles, and he added a walk to reach base safely all six plate appearances.
St. Louis' first-round pick at No. 23 overall, Perez has been raking ever since he made his professional debut in the GCL. Friday's game raised his batting average to .413 for the season. In 12 games, he is 19-for-46 with five multi-hit games. Perez has three doubles, a triple and has stolen five bases.
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Entering the Draft, Perez was ranked the No. 9 overall Draft prospect by MLBPipeline.com, but he fell to St. Louis after he tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. The Cardinals gave him a chance, and so far he's been living up to his billing.
"It's been my goal, my dream, to get here," Perez said after being drafted, according to ESPN. "I woke up every day thinking about it."