The Detroit Tigers have released Franklin Perez.
Perez, a right-handed pitcher, was the centerpiece of the three-player return from the Houston Astros in the 2017 Justin Verlander trade. Releasing Perez was the headliner of three minor-league transactions Thursday, along with releasing infielder Johan Camargo and right-handed reliever Chavez Fernander.
The Verlander trade, orchestrated by former general manager Al Avila, happened nearly six years ago.
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In return for Verlander, the Tigers received Perez, outfielder Daz Cameron and catcher Jake Rogers. Here’s how the trio of players were ranked in the Astros’ farm system at the time of the trade: Perez, the No. 3 prospect; Cameron, the No. 9 prospect; and Rogers, the No. 11 prospect.
Cameron was claimed off waivers Nov. 9 by the Baltimore Orioles after being designated for assignment by the Tigers. The 26-year-old has spent the entire 2023 season in Triple-A Norfolk, hitting .275 with 14 home runs in 80 games.
Rogers, 28, missed the 2022 season with Tommy John surgery but has spent the entire 2023 campaign with the Tigers. Rogers, who becomes a free agent after the 2026 season, is hitting .216 with 13 home runs in 71 games.
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As for Perez, the 25-year-old pitched 68 innings as a member of the Tigers’ organization because of several injuries, including season-ending shoulder surgery in May 2021. He tried to make a comeback in 2023 but was placed on the injured list July 18 to create roster space for new players from the 2023 MLB Draft.
In 2023, Perez posted a 6.89 ERA with 12 walks and seven strikeouts in 15⅔ innings over 10 relief appearances. He competed in five games in the Florida Complex League, then five games in Low-A Lakeland. His fastball averaged 87.3 mph, maxing out at 88.2 mph, in his final appearance with the Flying Tigers.
The Tigers also traded slugger J.D. Martinez, now a 13-year MLB veteran, to the Arizona Diamondbacks in July 2017, receiving three infield prospects in return: Dawel Lugo, Sergio Alcántara and Jose King.
None of those three players remain in the Tigers’ organization.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold.