11:08pm: Perez tested positive for “an undisclosed performance enhancer,” according to John Manuel and J.J. Cooper of Baseball America. Cooper and Manuel cite conversations with “multiple decision makers” in adding that there’s an expectation that he’ll still go in the first round to a team that gets approval from ownership, as his talent will be deemed too enticing to pass up.
Cooper and Manuel also report that University of Kentucky infielder JaVon Shelby tested positive for Adderall, which is considered a performance enhancer despite its common usage as a treatment for ADHD. Shelby isn’t as highly regarded as Perez, though he did rate 260th in BA’s compilation of the top 500 prospects in this year’s draft class.
6:00pm: Top draft prospect Delvin Perez, a shortstop out of Puerto Rico, has been sliding on recent mock drafts from draft experts, and Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reports that the reason for the slide is a failed drug test. ESPN’s Keith Law tweets that he’s heard the same. It’s not clear whether the substance in question was recreational or performance enhancing, but Law adds that he’s been told the substance was not marijuana. Baseball America’s John Manuel adds further context, tweeting that the Major League scouting bureau tests the top 200 prospects in the draft each year and sends results to teams, but this year’s batch of test results are “unusually late” and have not yet been received by MLB clubs.
Perez, still just 17 years of age (he’ll turn 18 in November), has drawn interest as high as No. 2 overall in the draft (the Reds), according to Heyman. While he was projected to go in the top five to 10 selections of the draft earlier this spring, he fell out of the first round entirely on Baseball America’s most recent mock draft (published earlier today) and slid to No. 13 on Law’s latest attempt to map out the first round.
Baseball America’s scouting report (subscription required and wholeheartedly recommended) pegs Perez as a true shortstop with all the tools to stay at the position from a defensive standpoint as well as plus speed and excellent bat speed. MLB.com’s scouting report on Delvin offers many of the same pluses and minuses, as each outlet notes that he needs work on his pitch recognition and approach at the plate. Earlier today, Law called him “the most tooled-up player in the [draft] class” and added that he’s the “ideal high-ceiling selection” for a patient team that is content to wait for the considerable development and refinement which Perez requires (Insider subscription required and recommended here as well).
Details surrounding Perez’s test remain unclear, so for the time being it’s impossible to determine exactly what type of slide he’ll experience in the draft. It’s not uncommon to see high school players that slide in the draft ultimately attend college instead of signing, but per BA’s scouting report, Perez has not committed to a college. Of course, depending on the substance in question, there may not be any type of slide at all; Rockies right-hander Jon Gray tested positive for Adderall in the weeks leading up to the draft and was still selected with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2013 draft, for instance. Braves righty Aaron Blair, who went 36th overall to the Diamondbacks that same year (roughly in line with many of his initial projections), tested positive for Adderall as well.
I’d still like him at 24-25 for Padres if signing demands fall a bit
Pretty much my thoughts… All those early picks, makes sense to roll the dice on a distressed asset. Plus, it could have further benefit with the signing pool, with him possibly taking less because of the test and lower draft position
Hope he slips to the Braves 2nd pick doubt it though unless it was heroin
if mlb doesnt test for marijuana why was it announced that it wasnt marijuana? players and potential players are all doped up and full of medications that help them produce. medication for ADD is at the top of the list. thirty one years after Canseco came up mlb is still dirty. get used to it boys.
Minor league players are tested for marijuana.
Delvin Perez is not an mlb player
Do you think that MLB wasn’t dirty before Canseco? He didn’t invent the PED or anything. It was around long before Canseco, he is just the whistle blower or snitch depending on your perspective.
not sure who was the first to use ped. can you be more specific? who was the first, ray ray ? are you refering to speed? please clarify, thank you ray ray.
There are rumors that Roger Maris was juicing after getting to the NYY. No, PEDs are not a new thing in baseball. And we won’t even get into amphetamines.
oh i see. sox have 10 and 21. maybe he will end up a south sider. thanks guys.
Right up the White Sox alley. Southside is filled will heroin and crack dealers
He’ll slide into the second round where he will be a steal and probably still be a great shortstop in the Majors. But as a Braves fan, I hope they stay away from this kid. Don’t get mixed up in a guy who is so power hungry, he’ll cheat to achieve it. Got Alex Rodriguez written all over him.
Every team would take the next A-Rod. Every. Single. One. Even if they only get 3-4yrs and he gets kicked for drugs.
3-4 years of league minimum or arb 1 for ~8war ss…yeah, I’m not sure a single team would let their morals get in the way.
As a Rockies fan, I hope the Braves stay away from the next Alex Rodriguez too.
I understand where you are coming from and I think I used a bad example in Arod. More like <Alcides Escobar skill level with the tendencies to go back to 'roids when times get tough. Maybe 3rd round but I don't want the braves to use 76/80 on him.
And I also think the Braves would let their morals get in the way. They have always stayed away from these guys and have been vocal about how much they discourage the use of steroids. Much louder than any other team.
Do teams really want a ‘teenage punk, who is already using PEDs’ in their farm system? More power to any team that wants to take this chance … Btw, where do you think his head is at for signing $? He will turn into an overslot signing which will impact 1-3 other ‘clean’ players
Is there a possibility that this is related to Mexican or Chinese beef which often contains steriods? A few NFL players have been popped recently and their positive test was traced back to beef from those countries.
This is a link from just last month about that: cbc.ca/sports/football/nfl/nfl-warns-players-stero…
Is this beef that everyone eats?
thanks wrong verb. i looked up maris. you were right. mantle too and ford. tom house says he did steroids in the 60s and figures 6 or 7 pitchers on each team were juicing. gibson was pimply.