Luis Perales: Everything you need to know

The Nationals optioned Perales to Triple-A Rochester on Sunday. Perales is still waiting to make his MLB debut, but his presence on the Nationals' 40-man roster boosts his chances of contributing to the big club at some point in 2026. The 22-year-old right-hander was limited to just three appearances in the minors last season as he completed his recovery from July 2024 Tommy John surgery. The Nationals will likely keep him stretched out as a starter at Rochester, but if he receives a call-up to the majors in 2026, he could work out of the bullpen in order to manage his workload.

The Nationals acquired Perales from the Red Sox on Monday in exchange for Jake Bennett, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports. It's a prospect-for-prospect trade. Perales missed a large chunk of 2024 and nearly all of 2025 while recovering from Tommy John surgery, but he's wowed with his stuff since returning, regularly reaching triple digits with his fastball. The 22-year-old has thrown a total of 9.2 innings beyond A-ball and has a career 12.3 percent walk rate in the minors, but Perales' upside is huge.

Perales averaged 98.6 mph and touched 99.8 mph with his four-seam fastball in his most recent appearance for Triple-A Worcester on Sept. 20. Perales, who underwent Tommy John surgery in July of 2024, logged a total of 2.1 innings across Double-A and Triple-A, with his first appearance coming Sept. 13. His numbers aren't pretty in this tiny sample (7.71 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 4:3 K:BB), but Perales' stuff is all the way back and then some, with his fastball not only offering premium velocity but elite movement. He leans heavily on his nasty 90-mph cutter and also mixes in a mid-80s slider, so it's a power arsenal in small package -- Perales is listed at 6-foot-1, 160 pounds. He only has 8.1 career innings at Double-A and 1.1 innings at Triple-A, so it's unclear which of the upper-minors levels Perales will be assigned to in 2026, but on pure upside, he's up there with any pitcher who has yet to reach the majors.