Hernan Perez a coach's pet
If the Tigers lose second baseman Omar Infante to free agency in the offseason, they could turn to prospect Hernan Perez as the future at second base, according to The Detroit News.
"He's one of my and the coaches' favorites," Leyland said at the end of spring camp in Florida. "We think he's really going to be a good big league player. He's got a good feel for things at a young age (22 last month). He's got a great idea of how to hit."
Perez is off to a promising start for Double-A Erie. He's batting .342 (13 for 38) with one home run, five doubles and six RBI in nine games. He also has a .375 on-base percentage and four stolen bases.
"There's nothing about him that you would say is a glaring weakness," Erie manager Chris Cron said, "but he will, at times, swing at some bad pitches. I think his defense will be fine wherever he plays. He is a very solid defensive player. The challenge is stepping into that batter's box, seeing better pitching (Double-A) day in and day out, making subtle adjustments here and there."
