JUPITER, Fla. — Weather: 71 degrees, partly cloudy
Result: Cardinals 7, Marlins 7 (tie)
Delvin Perez and Dylan Carlson were selected 10 picks apart in the first round of the 2016 draft by the Cardinals and while Carlson’s prospect status has been on the rise ever since, the same can’t be said about Perez.
There are some indications this spring, however, that that could be changing.
Perez, who was the first of the Cardinals three first-round picks that year, the 23rd overall selection, was invited to the major-league camp for the first time and is making the most of his opportunity. He’s also showing off his new-found strength after a year dedicating himself in the weight room as a substitute for the canceled minor-league season in 2020.
He entered Monday’s game in the fifth inning as a pinch-hitter for Tyler O’Neill – and lined a triple into center field that broke a 5-5 tie. The hit had an exit velocity of 109 miles per hour.
“That ball just sounded loud,” said manager Mike Shildt. “It got in the gap pretty quickly. He’s put on some weight and he looks good.
“I was familiar with him from instructional league and we’ve brought up him in previous springs, so there is some familiarity with Delvin. The impression this spring is that he’s clearly gotten stronger.”
Perez had been 0-of-3 this spring before his triple, which came one batter after Carlson, expected to begin the season as the starting right fielder, tied the game with a 2-run single.
Perez, who did have another triple in an intrasquad game last week, and Carlson were teammates in rookie ball in the Gulf Coast League the summer that they were drafted, but Perez’s career has not followed the same path as Carlson’s – he hasn’t played a game above low Class A Peoria, where he hit .269 in 2019.
What will be interesting will be to see how much the Cardinals try to challenge the 22-year-old Perez, with his new-found strength, when they decide where he will play to begin this season. A return to Peoria is possible since it will be the high Class A affiliate this year but they also could decide to send him to Double A Springfield, which should be loaded with most of the organization’s top prospects.
Here is how Monday’s game broke down:
High: One day after his three-run homer, O’Neill drove in three more runs with a bases-loaded double in the first inning.
Low: The four runs in the first inning increased the total to 16 runs allowed by the Cardinals in the first inning in the seven games so far this spring. Only once has their starter retired the side in order in the first (Adam Wainwright on March 2).
At the plate: Paul Goldschmidt had his first extra-base hit of the spring, a leadoff double in the third inning, but he was left stranded … Justin Williams, who had been 1-of-12 this spring as he fights for a spot as a backup outfielder, had a leadoff single that started the fifth inning rally … Perez struck out in his second at-bat.
On the mound: Kwang-Hyun Kim thought his second start of the spring was better than the first even if he was pulled again, after two outs in the first and 27 pitches. He came back and pitched into the third, finishing the day allowing four runs on six hits and a walk in 2 1/3 innings. He retired six of the 13 hitters he faced, getting an extra out on a double play. “I think it’s a positive sign,” Kim said through an interpreter. “If the results today were the same as last time or bad I would be seriously thinking about this problem. It was improvement from last game and I hope I become better and better as I pitch more games.” Kim should have three more starts this spring, whether they are in a regular game or a B game or simulated game setting … Andrew Miller made his spring debut and walked two of the four hitters he faced and threw a wild pitch, giving up one run … A leadoff walk and his own throwing error put Ryan Helsley in a jam in the ninth but he stranded the go-ahead run at third by retiring the next three hitters.
Worth noting: With Miller and Evan Kruczynski making their first appearances of the spring, the only four pitchers of the 33 in camp who have not appeared in a game are Miles Mikolas, Jordan Hicks and Jovan Oviedo, although Oviedo did pitch two innings in a B game … Former Cardinal lefthanded pitcher Rheal Cormier died on Monday from cancer. He was 53 … Three of the Cardinals seven games this spring have ended in ties.
Up next: Carlos Martinez will get the start on Wednesday as the Cardinals play the Mets in Port St. Lucie.
Follow Rob Rains on Twitter @RobRains