This story was excerpted from Ian Browne’s Red Sox Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
BOSTON -- The pitchers are at last catching up to the position players in terms of impact in the Red Sox’s farm system. And that trend was taking place even as one of the most promising arms of all -- righty Luis Perales -- spent most of 2025 rehabbing from Tommy John surgery.
Heading into the offseason, Perales is just about full speed ahead. While the Red Sox were completing their mission of getting back to the postseason for the first time since 2021, Perales was back on the bump for three short rehab outings (one for Double-A Portland and two for Triple-A Worcester).
But it didn’t stop there. Perales is continuing to regain his feel for pitching in the Arizona Fall League, showing off a triple-digit fastball that headlines his impressive arsenal.
In 2024, prior to suffering a tear in the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, Perales started to create a buzz following a promotion to Portland, striking out 10 over 7 1/3 innings in two starts.
While Perales is currently the No. 9 prospect in Boston’s farm system, per MLB Pipeline, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him jump into the top five in 2026.
Here is an update from Red Sox senior director of player development Brian Abraham on where things stand with the 22-year-old Perales, who was signed out of Venezuela for a signing bonus of $75,000 in 2019.
MLB.com: How has Perales done so far in his progression from Tommy John?
Abraham: It’s been a very positive process overall. Like any return-to-play progression, there have been natural ups and downs, but Luis has come out of rehab healthy and stronger -- both physically and mentally. The end of the season provided a valuable test to pitch in more competitive, game-like environments. While he was still within his rehab progression at that point, we were really pleased with what we saw. That progress has continued into the AFL -- particularly with his strength, velocity and overall health.
MLB.com: How has his stuff played, both in his abbreviated rehab at the end of the season and in the AFL?
Abraham: His stuff has played as we had hoped and expected. His fastball has reached 100 mph, and while his secondary pitches have shown some inconsistency at times, they’ve also flashed the sharpness we’re looking for. It’s important to recognize that during any rehab process, not everything returns at once, so appreciating the incremental wins along the way is key.
MLB.com: How far do you plan on getting him stretched out in the AFL, and what will his progression be for the offseason after that?
Abraham: Our goal is to continue building him up to the three-four inning range. It’s important that he builds workload while we remain mindful of the time of year, ensuring we set him up for success heading into next season. He’ll continue throwing during the offseason and, after the new year, prepare to enter Spring Training as a starter.
MLB.com: With all the progress made in the Pipeline this season from a pitching standpoint, how exciting is it to know Perales should be a full-go next season to add to what you already have?
Abraham: It’s always exciting to get a player back after a long layoff due to injury -- even more so when it’s one of your top talents and potential impact arms. We saw a version of Luis pre-injury that was incredibly exciting, and now we’re looking forward to an enhanced version of that -- healthy, stronger and ready to compete as a 40-man-roster player.
MLB.com: What makes Luis so special as a pitcher?
Abraham: Luis embodies a lot of the traits we value -- he’s aggressive, confident and always wants the ball. The combination of his triple-digit fastball and quality secondary pitches gives him multiple ways to get outs and generate swings and misses in the zone. As he continues to refine his ability to pitch, not just throw, we believe that will serve him well as he faces higher levels of competition.