What to expect from Geraldo Perdomo

One of the biggest bargains of the 2016-17 international class, Geraldo Perdomo quickly worked his way through the Arizona system and earned his first Major League call up Saturday.

Perdomo, the D-backs’ No. 3 prospect (No. 78 overall), per MLB Pipeline, was recalled when Nick Ahmed was placed on the 10-day injured list with right knee inflammation. The 21-year-old has yet to play a game above the High-A level and his stint in the Majors isn’t expected to be lengthy, but he put together quality at-bats during Spring Training and is making his debut earlier than many would have anticipated.

“He does a lot of things that we really value,” D-backs general manager Mike Hazen said. “And you saw it all Spring Training. He grinded out his at-bats every day. Never looks overmatched at the plate, plays a very good defensive shortstop -- he's always done that -- great athlete, he can run, so he should be able to help us.”

Signed in July 2016 for a mere $70,000 out of the Dominican Republic, Perdomo has performed at every step along the way. He played across three levels in his 2018 professional debut and finished the season as an 18-year-old in the Class A Short-Season Northwest League, where he hit .301 over 30 games. He reached High-A Visalia during his first full season and when Jazz Chisholm was traded to the Marlins at the 2019 Trade Deadline, it became clear that Perdomo was the D-backs’ shortstop of the future.

Following that 2019 campaign, Perdomo was sent to the Arizona Fall League, which is often considered a finishing school for top prospects. While he was easily one of the younger players in the league, Perdomo more than held his own and hit .316 over 21 games. This past season, it was more of the same as he put together quality at-bats against older, more advanced pitchers while at the alternate training site.

A pitcher in his youth, Perdomo has more than enough arm strength to play shortstop, not to mention his soft hands, plus speed and good range. He has a natural feel for the position and is regarded as the best defender in Arizona’s system.

“He’s always been one of our more advanced shortstops,” Hazen said. “He’s got phenomenal hands, great arm and moves with ease at the position.”

Offensively, the switch hitter draws rave reviews for his advanced approach. Perdomo drew more walks (169) than strikeouts (148) across his first three pro seasons and has good bat speed and barrel control. While he hasn’t hit for a ton of power so far -- just eight homers over three seasons -- the D-backs believe more power will come as he continues to add muscle to his 6-foot-2, 203-pound frame.

The same plus speed that gives Perdomo his defensive range helps him impact the game once he gets on base. He swiped 50 total bases in 2018 and 2019, though he still needs to refine the craft as he was caught over 30 percent of the time in 2019.

Any time a team gets a glimpse of one of its future stars is an exciting and valuable time, but Perdomo isn’t likely to play every day at this point in time. While he will certainly get some action in the field, Josh Rojas is still expected to get the majority of the reps at shortstop.

This callup is likely a bit ahead of Perdomo’s projected timeline and will represent his first real game action since 2019, but he’s successfully played against older competition throughout his career and has shown the ability to adjust and rise to the occasion. While it’s unrealistic to expect him to hit his ceiling right away, this stint should provide the D-backs and their fans a glimpse into the future of a prospect with a high floor, who will develop into an everyday shortstop in the near future.