Joe Perez #34

Graduated from Archbishop McCarthy HS in Southwest Ranches, Fla., in 2017, where he starred as a twoway player...hit .526 (40x76) with 14 doubles, nine homers, three triples and a 1.726 OPS (.581 OBP/1.145 SLG) during his senior year...on the mound, he posted a 1.88 ERA and 40 strikeouts in just 18.2 innings over eight appearances...in his high school career, named a 2017 Rawlings-Perfect Game 1st Team All-American, as well as a 2016 Underclass 1st Team and 2015 Underclass 2nd Team selection by Perfect Game...Entering the 2017 draft, ranked as the No. 92 prospect available by MLB.com...the Astros selected him in the second round of the draft at 53rd overall...signed by Astros scout Charlie Gonzalez...At the time of the draft, it was known that Perez would require Tommy John surgery, which he underwent shortly after his selection...would not return to game action until June of 2018...Added to the Astros 40-man roster on Nov. 19, 2021... had one stint in the Majors in 2022, accruing seven days of Major League service.

2021

Had a breakout 2021 season, combining to hit .291 (125x430) with 34 doubles, 18 HR, 61 RBI and an .849 OPS in 106 games in the Astros minor league system...topped out at Double-A Corpus Christi, where he hit .267 (75x281) with 19 doubles, eight homers and 27 RBI in 69 games...began the year at Class A Fayetteville, appearing in 12 games before a promotion to Class A Asheville...played in 25 games for the Tourists and was promoted to Corpus Christi, where he finished the season.

2022

After spending Spring Training with the Astros, was optioned to Double A Corpus Christi to begin the regular season...before the Hooks began play, was recalled by the Astros on April 8 and made his MLB debut that night at LAA, going 0x1 as a PH and defensive replacement...Had two Major League stints, April 8-10 and from April 15-18, in which he accrued a total of seven days of MLB service...Returned to Corpus and ran into injury issues, which sidelined him for May and most of June... returned to action on June 23 on a minor league rehab assignment...returned to health and made it back to Corpus in July...played the next two months with the Hooks before a promotion to Triple A Sugar Land in late September...Combined to hit .290 (94x324) with 20 doubles, seven homers and 37 RBI in 83 minor league games in 2022...played primarily third base, but also appeared in games at first base and in the corner outfield positions.