Red Sox Injuries: Key Update On Top Prospect With Ace-Like Potential

Red Sox fans who love following prospects can’t stop talking about Payton Tolle — and for good reason. The 2024 second-round pick has dominated this season and now is Boston’s top-ranked prospect on some lists.

Just don’t forget about Luis Perales, who might be even better than Tolle.

Perales skyrocketed up prospect rankings last season — and perhaps was on track for a late-season MLB debut — before undergoing Tommy John Surgery in June after a start for Double-A Portland. But the 22-year-old’s rehab is nearing completion, with a return potentially set for late August or early September.

On Monday, Chris Hatfield of SoxProspects.com — which ranks Perales third in Boston’s system — reported the right-hander was on a “mound progression.” Hatfield added the Red Sox were targeting late August for Berales to begin live-bullpen sessions, potentially the final step before a rehab assignment.

Before suffering injury, Perales flashed the potential of a mid-rotation starter with the upside of a potential No. 2 starter — if not an ace. With an elite high-90s fastball and above-average secondary pitches, Perales demonstrated better raw stuff than other recent top Red Sox pitching prospects, like Brayn Bello.

But can Perales recapture his pre-injury form and reestablish himself as a high-end pitching prospect? We might not have to wait much longer to find out.