Position: LHP
Height: 6’8”
Weight: 265 lbs
Bats/Throws: L/L
Born: 05/07/1994
Country: Dominican Republic
Signed: International Free Agent, 2011 (Blue Jays)
How Acquired: Minor League Free Agent
Bonus: N/A
40-man Roster: Yes
Rule 5 Eligible: N/A
Minor League Free Agency: N/A
Options Left: 1
Overview
Perdomo is a huge lefty who originally signed with Toronto. He moved up v-e-r-y slowly with them, so slowly that he became a seven-year free agent without reaching AA. He has good velocity for a lefty, sitting at 94-95 mph, and he misses a lot of bats with the fastball thanks partly to great extension. He has an inconsistent slider that he throws about a third of the time, and he occasionally throws a change that isn’t very good. Perdomo has done much better since reaching the upper minors, with very high K rates, but in the brief major league chances he’s gotten, he hasn’t been able to throw strikes. The Pirates signed him to a minor league deal for 2023.
2012-18
Perdomo’s path was a very slow one. He didn’t make it to full season ball until 2016. Throughout his time in short season ball, he was hard to hit but struggled to throw strikes.
In 2016, Perdomo finally got to low A. He pitched as a starter there and cut his walk rate to a reasonable level while still missing a lot of bats. Baseball America ranked him 26th among the Jays’ prospects, but Toronto left him unprotected in the Rule 5 draft and he wasn’t selected. Perdomo wasn’t as effective the next year in high A, with his walk and K rates both declining a good deal. He also missed two months with an injury. He repeated the level in 2018, improving across the board but still not getting added to the roster. The Brewers signed him as a free agent to a minor league deal.
2019-20
In 2019, Perdomo finally made it to AA, where he pitched very well in relief through seven games, so the Brewers moved him up to AAA. He continued missing a ton of bats, although he also struggled to throw strikes and got hurt by a high BABIP. After the season, Milwaukee added Perdomo to the 40-man roster. In the pandemic season, Perdomo went to the Brewers’ alternate facility, but he missed much of the season with COVID.
2021-22
Perdomo had injury-plagued seasons in 2021-22. He missed roughly half of 2021 due to back strains. When he pitched, it was in relief, about half in AAA and half in the majors. He had huge strikeout rates, but while his control was very good in AAA, he walked a batter an inning in the majors. The next year, he missed most of the first half with a fractured finger. He only pitched a few innings in the minors when he came back and Milwaukee put him on waivers. The Rays claimed him and outrighted him a few days later. He spent the rest of the season in AAA with them. He was very effective, throwing strikes and again missing a great many bats.
2023
After the 2022 season, Perdomo became a free agent and signed a minor league deal with the Pirates. He spent the first two months with Indianapolis and continued as before, missing a lot of bats — 13.9 K/9 — while also missing the plate a lot — 6.4 BB/9. The Pirates called him up at the beginning of June and he suddenly started throwing strikes. In 29 innings with them, he walked 11 and fanned 44. He had a 1.10 WHIP and a 3.15 xFIP. He wasn’t great against right-handed batters, allowing them an .816 OPS, but he was deadly against left-handed batters, holding them to .447. Unfortunately, Perdomo went out for the season in mid-August with elbow soreness.
The Pirates designated Perdomo for assignment after the season. If he clears waivers, he’ll become a free agent.
Stats
Transactions
November 28, 2011: Signed by the Toronto Blue Jays as an international free agent.
November 2, 2018: Became a free agent.
November 12, 2018: Signed as a minor league free agent by the Milwaukee Brewers.
November 2, 2019: Contract purchased by the Milwaukee Brewers.
July 19, 2022: Claimed off waivers from the Milwaukee Brewers by the Tampa Bay Rays.
August 4, 2022: Outrighted to AAA by the Tampa Bay Rays.
November 10, 2022: Became a free agent.
December 22, 2022: Signed as a minor league free agent by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
June 3, 2023: Called up by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
November 2, 2023: Designated for assignment by the Pittsburgh Pirates.