Boston Red Sox: 5 Portland Sea Dogs storylines to follow in 2024

How will Luis Perales respond to Double-A hitting?

Luis Perales started the 2023 season in Single-A. The right-handed pitcher struggled for a few starts before finding a rhythm and dominating the level. His dominance led to a midseason promotion to High-A.

While things weren't perfect, we saw Perales put together some great outings and flash his potential in High-A.

Overall, the righty finished with a 3.91 ERA, .230 BAA, and 1.42 WHIP between the two levels. He struck out 115 batters compared to 50 walks in 89 2/3 innings.

It's safe to assume the soon-to-be-20-year-old will start the 2024 season with the High-A Greenville Drive. However, it also feels like a safe bet that he'll find his way to Double-A Portland soon enough.

How will that adjustment go? It's often stated that the jump from High-A to Double-A is the biggest. And for a pitcher like Perales, that could cause some problems.

The Venezuela native has a phenomenal fastball and great secondary pitches. He can rack up the strikeouts but also has issues with his command at times. Walks have gotten him in trouble in the past, and if he doesn't get his command under control, Double-A is a level that we could see him falter at.

However, this is the same point that could've been made when Wikelman Gonzalez was promoted to Portland last season. Instead of falling apart, Gonzalez flourished. The right-handed pitcher posted a 2.42 ERA, .162 BAA, and 1.14 WHIP in 10 starts with the Sea Dogs. He struck out 63 batters compared to 28 walks in 48 1/3 innings.

The walks could still benefit from dropping, but Gonzalez proved he was ready for Double-A. Is that what we'll see from Luis Perales? With what we've seen from the talented Red Sox prospect so far, it's impossible to bet against him.