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Who Is Junior Perez? A Closer Look at Latest White Sox MLB Debut
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- Who Is Junior Perez? A Closer Look at Latest White Sox MLB Debut
On Wednesday night, Chicago White Sox outfielder Everson Pereira slammed into the Yankee Stadium wall and put his body on the line to make an unbelievable catch.
On Thursday afternoon, Pereira landed on the injured list with a concussion that resulted from that play. It marks the third time this season that Pereira has been placed on the IL.
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In the corresponding move, the White Sox recalled outfielder Junior Perez from Triple-A Charlotte. Perez was in the starting lineup, playing left field for Chicago on Thursday night, making him the 13th different player to make his MLB debut for the White Sox this season.
Perez had a fantastic 2025 season in the Athletics organization, totaling 137 games between Double-A Midland and Triple-A Las Vegas with 29 doubles, 26 home runs, 27 stolen bases, and an .821 OPS.
It's an exciting combination of power and speed, one the White Sox clearly saw potential in when they acquired Perez from the Athletics in exchange for left-handed pitching prospect Jackson Nove .
Chicago cashed in on a strong start to Nove's career, a 1.96 ERA over 23 innings in his first professional season, and flipped it for upside in the outfield. It's now been just over a month since that trade was made, and Nove has a 7.36 ERA since joining the Athletics farm system. Meanwhile, Perez has already reached the big leagues.
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Perez was off to a slow start in 2026 prior to the trade, but in 20 games with the Charlotte Knights, he posted a .758 OPS.
Swings and misses are a real concern for Perez. He struck out 165 times last season and another 84 times in 56 minor league games in 2026. The whiff rate, strikeout rate, and zone contact percentage were all in the bottom five percent of Triple-A hitters this year.
And yet, the raw tools are undeniable. Perez possesses elite exit velocity and bat speed. The White Sox are hoping that power, even if it's primarily deployed against left-handed pitching, can help him fill in admirably for Pereira while he recovers.
Given the frequency of injuries for Pereira this season, it's valuable for the White Sox to have a 24-year-old outfielder with a similar toolset waiting in the wings.
In his MLB debut on Thursday, Perez went 0-for-2 at the plate with a strikeout and a groundout. He did, however, record an outfield assist, gunning down Anthony Volpe at third base in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Perez is the second White Sox player this season to record an outfield assist in his MLB debut, joining Rikuu Nishida.
