One of the best all-around talents in the 2017-18 international class, Pereira signed for $1.5 million out of Venezuela. His career started slowly because of injuries, aggressive assignments and the pandemic shutdown, but he started to get going with 20 homers in 49 games in 2021. He has set career highs in games in each of the last two seasons, batting .300/.373/.548 in the upper Minors and making his big league debut last year, but his 2024 season ended prematurely when he hurt his right (throwing) elbow in mid-May and required internal brace surgery.
Pereira originally projected as a potential plus hitter with average power, but his profile has flipped as he got stronger and started swinging for the fences. The bat speed and loft in his right-handed stroke help create well above-average raw power and huge exit velocities, but his approach also leads to a lot of in-zone swing-and-misses and strikeouts. His timing never looked right while he was hitting .151 with 40 strikeouts in 93 at-bats with the Yankees last summer.
Despite adding muscle, Pereria has retained plus speed and has basestealing ability, though he's not as aggressive on the bases as he is at the plate. He has good outfield instincts, and his solid range and plus arm make him an asset at all three spots. Primarily a center fielder before 2023, he spent all of his time in New York as a left fielder.
Pereira signed for $1.5 million out of Venezuela as one of the best all-around talents in the 2017 international class, but it took him a while to take off in pro ball because of a combination of aggressive assignments, injuries and the pandemic shutdown. He broke out by slamming 20 homers in just 49 games in 2021 and more than doubled his previous career high by playing in 102 contests last year, when he reached Double-A at age 21.
When he turned pro, Pereira projected as a potential plus hitter with average power, but that profile has reversed as he has gained significant muscle and begun hunting home runs. He has added loft to a quick right-handed swing and hits the ball harder than most Yankees farmhands, though his aggressive approach also has resulted in more strikeouts. His timing got out of whack at the beginning of last season and led to difficulty lifting pitches, but he made adjustments and delivered 12 extra-base hits in 29 Double-A games.
Though he has slowed down a bit after getting stronger, Pereira still has solid speed and can use it to steal bases. He has good instincts in the outfield and continues to play in center, albeit with less range than he showed in the past. If he winds up shifting to a corner, he has the power and solid arm strength to fit well in right field.
One of the best all-around talents in the 2017 international class, Pereira signed for $1.5 million out of Venezuela. His career didn't take off immediately because he was the youngest regular (age 17) in the Rookie-level Appalachian League in his 2018 pro debut, played just 18 games because of hamstring and foot injuries in 2019 and lost 2020 to the pandemic shutdown. His promise was evident last season, which he began in extended spring training before hitting .303/.398/.686 in 49 games at three levels, including 14 homers in 27 High-A contests.
Added to New York's 40-man roster in November, Pereira always has had a quick right-handed stroke and now that he has gotten significantly stronger since turning pro, he's producing some of the highest exit velocities in the system. He has geared his swing to launch balls in the air and has the hand-eye coordination to make it work, though his approach does lead to strikeouts. He initially looked like a potential plus hitter with average power, but now that profile has reversed.
Pereira has slowed slightly as he has added muscle but still possesses solid speed and makes the most of it. He can steal an occasional base and covers ground in center field with his quickness and instincts. If he has to move to a corner, he has the power and solid arm strength to profile well in right field.
After two years in the international-spending penalty box, the Yankees faced no restrictions in 2017 and handed seven-figure bonuses to four position players, including $1.5 million for Pereira. The Venezuelan was the youngest regular (age 17) in the Rookie-level Appalachian League when he made his pro debut in 2018, and he would have been the youngest in the short-season New York-Penn League the next summer if hamstring and foot injuries hadn't limited him to 18 games. The Yankees have pushed him because he was considered extremely advanced for his age, but he batted just .236/.292/.350 in his first two pro seasons.
Pereira's performance and 33-percent strikeout rate reflect his youth and facing much older pitchers rather than his true hitting ability. He has the hand-eye coordination and quick right-handed swing to produce line drives to all fields. He has gotten stronger since signing, checking in at 200 pounds at New York's Dominican instructional league program last fall, and he could develop average power if he adds more loft to his stroke and pulls more pitches.
As Pereira has added muscle he has also slowed a bit, though he's still a solid runner. He's learning the nuances of basestealing and his instincts help him cover ground in center field. He also has solid arm strength and is capable of playing all three outfield spots.
After two years of bonus restrictions as a penalty for exceeding their international pool in 2014, the Yankees were able to spend freely in 2017 and gave seven-figure bonuses to four position players, including $1.5 million for Pereira. The Venezuelan is so polished for his age that New York not only brought him to the United States for his 2018 pro debut, but skipped him a level and made him the youngest regular (age 17) in the advanced Rookie-level Appalachian League. He would have been the youngest in the short-season New York-Penn League last summer, but hamstring and foot injuries limited him to 18 games.
Pereira's 33 percent strikeout rate in his first two brief pro seasons is far more reflective of his youth versus much older competition than his true hitting ability. He has fine hand-eye coordination and one of the best swings in the system, a quick, fluid right-handed stroke that produces line drives to all fields. He has gotten stronger since turning pro and can continue to do so, giving him a good chance to develop at least average power.
Pereira has plus speed and knows how to use it. He's getting more comfortable stealing bases and covers plenty of ground in center field. His quickness and instincts will allow him to remain in center, and he also has solid arm strength that will allow him to play anywhere in the outfield.
After two years in MLB's penalty box for outspending their international bonus pool during the 2014-15 signing period, the Yankees faced no restrictions in 2017 and gave seven-figure bonuses to four different position players. The most advanced of the group is Pereira, who signed for $1.5 million out of Venezuela. Not only did he come to the United States for his 2018 pro debut at age 17, he also skipped a level and held his own as the youngest regular in the Appalachian League, an advanced Rookie-level circuit.
Pereira couples all-around talent with advanced instincts. He uses a compact, quick right-handed stroke and impressive hand-eye coordination to lace line drives all over the field, and his 33-percent strikeout rate last year was more reflective of his youth than his future hitting ability. He has gotten stronger since signing and should develop close to average power.
Pereira has plus speed and presently uses it better in center field than on the bases. While he's still developing basestealing savvy, he already shows the ability to chase down balls from gap to gap. He also has solid arm strength and is capable of handling all three outfield spots.
As a penalty for splurging on the 2014-15 international market, the Yankees couldn't give out a bonus of more than $300,000 during the next two signing periods. With that restriction removed in 2017-18, they spent freely again and paid $1.5 million to land Pereira out of Venezuela. He was one of several toolsy outfielders in New York's crop, which also included Raimfer Salinas (Venezuela) and Anthony Garcia (Dominican Republic).
One of the best all-around players in his international class, Pereira is a potential leadoff hitter and a no-doubt center fielder. Thanks to his quick, short right-handed swing and impressive hand-eye coordination, he makes line-drive contact with ease. He focuses on using the whole field rather than trying to yank balls out of the park, though he should develop some gap power.
Pereira not only has plus speed, he already knows how to use it on the bases and in the outfield. He shows good instincts in center field and has the solid arm strength to fit anywhere in the outfield. He's advanced enough that he easily has handled making his U.S. debut as a 17-year-old in 2018.
After being restricted from spending heavily on the international market in the 2015-16 and 2016-17 signing periods, the Yankees were able to be aggressive again this summer. Their biggest expenditure was $1.5 million to land Pereira, one of the best all-around players in his international class, out of Venezuela. He adds to the seemingly endless supply of multitooled outfield prospects in the system.
Pereira projects as potential top-of-the-order hitter with little doubt that he'll be able to remain in center field. He has a quick, compact right-handed swing and impressive hand-eye coordination, allowing him to make contact with ease. He focuses on hitting line drives and using the entire field rather than pulling the ball out of the park, though he should have some gap power.
Pereira already shows some feel for making the most of his plus speed on the bases and in the outfield. He has good instincts in center and the solid arm strength to play anywhere in the outfield.
Note: xHR tells how many of this player's home runs would have been out of other stadiums. The "Adjusted" view here accounts for different wall heights, distances and environmental effects using Statcast Park Factor data.
Standard
Year
HR
2023
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
Player
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
Note: xHR tells how many of this player's home runs would have been out of other stadiums. The "Standard" view here accounts for different wall heights and distances but excludes environmental effects. It is based purely on the observed trajectory of the hit.
! Note: Shifts are through the 2022 season, Shaded starting from the 2023 season, Shift: three or more infielders are on the same side of second base, Shade: positioned outside of their typical responsible slices of the field. Learn more about how positioning is defined here
