One of the most interesting moves the Nats have made this offseason is when they acquired Luis Perales from the Red Sox for Jake Bennett. It was a rare prospect for prospect trade, which saw the Nats acquire Perales, who has an electric arm. Jake Bennett was seen as the safer prospect though.
Despite being seen as the riskier prospect of the two, Luis Perales has a chance to be an impactful big leaguer in 2026. It is no secret that the Nationals need bullpen help and if they choose to make Perales a reliever,
he could be an impactful one. His frame, velocity and inconsistent control makes the bullpen a natural home.
So far in his professional career Perales has been developed as a starter. He has made 47 career appearances, with 43 of those being starts. If he hits his ceiling, Perales has the chance to be a number two starter. However, he could make a very quick impact if he is unleashed in the bullpen.
His raw stuff is absolutely mesmerizing. Perales showed his stuff was as dynamic as ever coming off of Tommy John Surgery. In his first appearance back, he actually mowed down the Nats Triple-A lineup without even throwing a fastball. Yohandy Morales, Nick Schnell and Trey Lipscomb were quickly dispatched by Perales in his first outing back.
As you can see, Perales can dominate when he is on his game. He was not even throwing his fastball, which is probably his best pitch. The heater sits in the upper 90’s and routinely touches triple digits. In the AFL, he hit 100 mph 20 times. The command was spotty, but that is often the last thing to come back in Tommy John recovery.
The numbers were not great for Perales in the AFL, but the flashes were still there. He can totally overwhelm guys who have good contact skills as well. Sam Antonacci is a White Sox prospect known for his hitting ability. Perales mowed him down on three pitches when they faced off. That stuff can play at any level.
Another reason why he could make an impact in 2026 comes down to numbers. Perales already has a spot on the Nats 40 man roster. He also only has one, maybe two option years remaining. Due to his Tommy John Surgery, the Nats may be able to get an extra option year.
Regardless, the Nats do not want to simply waste 40 man roster spots. They are incentivized to use Perales in the big leagues as soon as he is ready. If he is even around the zone, he will be one of the Nats better relievers.
His stuff is just so dominant. The pitch grades absolutely love Perales. His fastball has an elite combination of velocity and carry. That makes it a plus-plus pitch on stuff models. However, he does not command it very well. Perales actually has a better feel for his cutter, which is also a nasty pitch.
This profile just screams reliever, which is probably why the Red Sox traded him. Jake Bennett is a high probability starter, even if he is unlikely to be anything more than a 4 starter. Perales is a bit more of a mystery box. He could be an inconsistent middle reliever, he could be a closer, or he could be a starter.
One thing the Nats could do is use him in a bullpen role early on while keeping the door open for a return to the rotation down the road. We are seeing more bullpen to rotation conversions in recent years. Perales could be the Nats closer for a while and then move to the rotation down the road.
His arm talent makes him a super exciting pickup for Paul Toboni and the Nats. Despite being pretty raw, he can be in the big leagues quickly. Perales turns 23 in April and has pitched in AAA. It may take him a bit to be acclimated, but I think we will see Luis Perales in a Nats uniform at some point in 2026.
