Perez off to hot start in Lancaster

HOUSTON -- Tyson Perez, a right-hander who spent most of the spring at extended spring training, has made a great early impression at Lancaster. He's 3-0 with a 1.35 ERA in three starts, during which he's allowed nine hits and struck out 11 batters in 20 innings.

Perez was drafted in the 17th round last year by the Astros out of Fresno City College. On Thursday, he threw a masterful complete-game two-hitter, allowing one run and one walk to beat Inland Empire. He faced one over the minimum and threw only 81 pitches.

"He was very impressive," Astros director of player development Fred Nelson said. "I had a chance to see it and he was really great and pitched very well. I had just came from [Double-A] Corpus Christi and there you have some throwers that have trouble locating pitches, and [Perez's performance] is a good example of locating pitches and mixing your stuff. You can be effective without overpowering stuff."

Perez's fastball sits between 88-91-mph.