By Chuck Johnson| @prospect_pulse | Big Leagues Magazine
Wily Peralta
If there was a silver lining to be found in the franchise record 96 win 2011 season, it was the success at the major league level allowed the kids at the minor league level to stay and develop at one place and time. League MVP Ryan Braun and third place finisher Prince Fielder carried the team offensively, with Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcum shouldering the load on the mound. This allowed for prospects like Logan Schafer, Caleb Gindl, Mat Gamel, Wily Peralta and Michael Fiers to work on their craft without worrying about bouncing around or being floated in trade rumors.
While the 2012 season wasn’t as successful in the standings, the Brewers did receive contributions from a number of rookies, most notably outfielder Norichika Aoki, who played in 151 games after coming over from Japan and finished fifth in Rookie of the Year voting. Others who contributed were Fiers, catcher Martin Maldonado and shortstop Jean Segura, who came over from the Angels in the Greinke trade. System wise, it’s deep in pitching, with eight of the top twelve throwing off the bump, but otherwise shallow everywhere else.
1 | WILY PERALTA
After years of spending time in the Brewers’ doghouse over his lack of effort when it came to conditioning, especially during the off-season, Peralta finally seemed to listen, reporting to spring training in the best shape of his career. He’s always had a solid delivery, but issues with his up and down conditioning kept him from being able to repeat it consistently, which affected his ability to pitch deep into games and with pitch command.
Peralta throws two fastballs, a plus four-seamer averaging 92-94 and touching 98, and a two-seamer which sits on average 91-92 with a sharp, almost splitter like downward movement as it approaches the plate. He throws a hard, mid 80s slider and a changeup. With his improved conditioning his secondary pitches, especially the change, have shown significant improvement, to where both are now average to average plus offerings.
Peralta spent September in the major leagues and pitched well, and will report to spring training this season with a rotation spot in his back pocket. He projects as a mid-rotation, innings eating starter and could eventually become the Brewers’ number two starter behind Yovanni Gallardo.
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