Feb
21
2012

2012 MLB Draft: Double Barreled Ryan Perez

An article by Craig Lerner

Steve Guilbert of Macks Mets says pitcher Ryan Perez is one of the players he really hopes the Mets pick up in the 2012 MLB Draft. Let him tell you why…

Ryan Perez, BHP – Westminster Christian High School (IL)

Yes, you read that correctly. BHP stands for “both-handed pitcher” (also known as “double barrel” pitching) and Ryan Perez is a true ambidextrous pitcher.

Unlike Pat Venditte of the Yankees, who throws much harder with his right arm and significantly slower with his left, Perez can hit 90 MPH with both his left and his right arms. His impressive repertoire hardly stops there, either; he also throws a change, curve and cutter from both sides and shows advanced control for a high-school pitcher. He also can throw side-armed from both arms, although he rarely does it.

According to an article for CBS, Perez will start games with his left hand and change to his right later in games because he feels his right arm is more dominant and he likes to close down games right-handed. However, when the lineup calls for it, he will sometimes face one batter righty and the next lefty and so forth. While he is not allowed to change arms in the middle of at bats, he can and does from batter to batter and certainly from inning to inning.

Perez has found quite a bit of success with his crafty approach and impressive arsenal as well. Perez’s stats from last year included a 9-1 record, a 1.56 ERA and 131 Ks in 63 innings while sharing time at third and short (he throws right-handed while in the field). I know this isn’t Sun Belt competition, but those numbers are ridiculous.

While this Chicago local has dreams of playing for the White Sox, I am rooting for the Mets to look at him seriously sometime after day one. Even if this kid were not ambidextrous (which I think would undoubtedly put fans in seats at each stop all the way to Flushing), I would still want to draft him for his pitch repertoire, work ethic and dedication to the craft. His father, who started him throwing with both arms at a young age, has worked him hard. “He (my dad) would tell me I have to work out twice as long. I would take a bucket of balls left-handed fielding then right-handed. Then I would do a bucket of fly balls left and right handed. After that I would still have to pitch and hit,” Perez said.

What’s not to like right?

Here’s what an AL scout said of him:

“If you got to win one game, I’m going to pick him,” one American League scout said. “He can really pitch. He’s a crafty, crafty guy. It’s not like he’s just hitting 82. I’ve seen him in a tryout camp where he was 87-88 from the left and around 91-92 from the right. That’s legit velocity.”

Can you imagine what a draw this kid could be if he makes it to the majors?

About the Author: Craig Lerner

I'm a data analyst and researcher for a leading news agency who loves life and is hooked on the Mets. I love following the Amateur Draft and have a particular fondness for the Mets Minor Leagues who I follow each day. Give me a cold beer, a summer day, and a Mets game, and I'm good to go.

14 Comments + Add Comment

jerseymet February 21, 2012 at 8:17 pm

Hey lets get another unique pitcher. Last year we had the only knuckle and fork ballers in the league.
Connor February 21, 2012 at 8:56 pm

He should warm up w/ both arms so he can switch in the middle of an at bat.
- Donal February 21, 2012 at 9:11 pm
  
  He’s not allowed to switch during at bats. I’m not even sure he can do it all during an inning.
  
  If he can maintain velocity and command with both arms, it would be a pretty neat weapon in the arsenal.
  - Des February 21, 2012 at 10:10 pm
    
    Donal — A pitcher is allowed to switch during an inning:
    
    MLB Rule 8.01(f), states:
    
    (f) A pitcher must indicate visually to the umpire-in-chief, the batter and any runners the hand with which he intends to pitch, which may be done by wearing his glove on the other hand while touching the pitcher’s plate. The pitcher is not permitted to pitch with the other hand until the batter is retired, the batter becomes a runner, the inning ends, the batter is substituted for by a pinch-hitter or the pitcher incurs an injury. In the event a pitcher switches pitching hands during an at-bat because he has suffered an injury, the pitcher may not, for the remainder of the game, pitch with the hand from which he has switched. The pitcher shall not be given the opportunity to throw any preparatory pitches after switching pitching hands. Any change of pitching hands must be indicated clearly to the umpire-in-chief.
    - Donal February 22, 2012 at 7:47 am
      
      How about that. I’d really love to see what actually made them think they needed this rule.
      - Mark B February 24, 2012 at 1:40 pm
        
        There were a few pitchers who could do it in the 1800′s, most famously Tony Mullane, so it probably came about from there.
        
        Noel March 1, 2012 at 5:27 pm
        
        It actually came when Pat Venditte faced a switch hitter and they both kept switching back and forth on each other.
Fonzie13 February 21, 2012 at 9:31 pm

You can pitch him twice in a 5 man rotation and only use 4 starters. Nice weapon to have. I haven’t seen anybody have him going in the 1st round. I wouldn’t take him in the 1st round.
- William H. February 21, 2012 at 10:24 pm
  
  Now that’s something I’d like to see.
srt February 21, 2012 at 10:31 pm

Nice.

Saw the clip from a minor league game a year or two ago where I believe it was Yankee minor league pitching with both arms to one Braves switch hitter (or the opposite).

Pitcher kept switching hands – batter kept turning around at the plate. Think this went on for 8 windups or so. One of the funniest things I ever saw on a ball field.

Think they said at the time that the umps didn’t really know what to do because there was no specific rule against it then.
- Des February 21, 2012 at 11:51 pm
  
  srt — Here is the YouTube of the game with switchpitcher Pat Venditte, a Yankee farmhand, against the Cyclones.
  This is probably the game which caused a new rule to be written.
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDyCRTlKllk
  - Donal February 22, 2012 at 7:48 am
    
    Oh, ya, I remember that. That was funny.
  - srt February 22, 2012 at 9:30 am
    
    Yes, this was the one. Funny I didn’t remember it was against the Cyclones. Don’t know why I thought it was a Braves pitcher.
    Thanks for looking that up.
Metsie February 22, 2012 at 12:17 am

I wonder if this means he could pitch consecutive days once as a lefty and then as a righty!

Imagine if he’s the Ace and you went to a Two man Rotation for the playoffs! LOL

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