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Former Big League Outfielder, Eury Perez, Signs With X’s

Sioux City, IA — The Sioux City Explorers have announced the signing of outfielder, Eury Perez to a 2021 contract. This will be Perez’s 14th season of professional baseball and his first with the Explorers. 

The X’s over the years have become synonymous with speedy and experienced outfielders. Names like Matty Johnson, Tony Campana, Jay Austin, Luis Durango and Kyle Wren come to the forefront of X’s fans’ minds when they think of the former talent that has patrolled centerfield at MercyOne Field at Lewis and Clark Park. Eury Perez is now joining that list. 

A 14 year veteran of the pro game, Perez signed with the Washington Nationals as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic, in 2007. At just 17 years old, he played in the Dominican Summer League during his first two professional seasons, showcasing his speed early on with 43 stolen bases in 112 games. 

In 2009, his first season playing in the United States, Perez made quite an impression as his .381 batting average, 38 runs scored, and 24 stolen bases in 47 games earned him both Gulf Coast League All-Star and MVP honors. 

In 2010, Perez spent the season with the Nationals Class-A affiliate the Hagerstown Suns. In 131 games he posted a .299 batting average scoring 88 runs and collecting 17 doubles. 

That same season, Perez stole a career high 64 bases on 77 attempts. The 64 swiped bags were the second most stolen bases in all of minor league baseball. It was better than other Explorer alums; Jeremy Hazelbaker (63), Jay Austin (54), Derrick Robinson (50) and Tony Campana (48). As well as the totals of two future MLB MVP’s Mike Trout (56) and Jose Altuve (42). 

Add in the 21 steals that Perez accrued in the Dominican Winter League that year and he stole more bags than any other player in professional baseball in 2010 with a grand total of 85 over 168 total games. 

Following another promising campaign in 2011 at High-A, Potomac where he hit .283 and stole 45 bases. 2012 would end up being a banner year for Perez at only 22 years old. 

Beginning the year in Double-A Harrisburg, he appeared in 82 games hitting .299 with 30 RBI, 34 runs scored and 26 stolen bases. He earned a promotion to Triple-A Syracuse where he improved on those numbers in only 40 games. Hitting .333 and sprinting for 20 stolen bases. 

The now 30 year old, earned a September call up to the Nationals big league team. Perez made his major league debut on September 1st, 2012 in a game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Perez however did not make his first plate appearance for his first four games with the Nats. His first at bat came in his fifth big league contest against the Miami Marlins and Ricky Nolasco which ended in a ground out back to the pitcher.

Perez in his first experience of the show played in 13 games, collecting one hit in five at bats, scoring three runs and stealing three bases. 

The following season Perez spent most of his time in Triple-A Syracuse, batting .300 over 96 games, mashing a career high seven home runs, scoring 55 runs and stealing 23 bases. 

Once again he earned a call to the majors, splitting his time at the top level between two tours in May and September with the Nats. Appearing in a total of nine games, collecting a hit in eight at bats and stealing a single base. 

The 2014 season was the final season between Perez and the Nationals. He once again showed plenty of promise at Triple-A at age 24, hitting .311 in 57 games and stealing 20 bags. However he was designated for assignment on September 18th, 2014 ending his 8 year run with the club. 

Perez was claimed off of waivers by the New York Yankees just four days later and spent the rest of the 2014 campaign with the Bronx Bombers. He would appear in just four games with the Yankees collecting a stolen base and going 2-10 at the dish. 

The 2015 season saw Perez spend his most time in the bigs when he suited up for the Atlanta Braves. In 47 games for Atlanta, he hit for a .269 average, scoring 10 runs, notching five RBI, legging four doubles, and stealing three bases. 

Perez’s final major league game came on August 23rd, 2015 against the Chicago Cubs. 

The next three seasons saw Perez solely play in Triple-A between the Astros, Rays, Pirates, Marlins and Giants organizations. Through his 13 year career he has played for eight different major league organizations. 

Over the Dominican Republic native’s time in the big leagues that stretched across four different seasons, Perez played in 73 games, hitting for a .254 average, scored 16 runs, drove in 5 RBI, and stole 8 bases in 9 attempts. 

Also impressive was his seven campaigns at the Triple-A level where he played in a total of 465 games, hitting .303, scoring 235 runs, swatting 74 doubles, 20 triples and 14 home runs. As well as obviously displaying his speed with 150 stolen bases. 

Perez did not play during 2020, though he did play in the Mexican League in 2019. Between Oaxaca and Tabasco, he appeared in 31 games, hitting at a .357 clip, scoring 27 runs, legging out 9 doubles and driving in 15 RBI.