More than a month has passed since the Arizona baseball team saw two of its top relievers taken in the first round of the 2008 MLB draft. But the excitement returned this week as both Ryan Perry and Daniel Schlereth agreed to professional contracts with the Detroit Tigers and the Arizona Diamondbacks, respectively.
Perry became the Tigers’ 34th signee from the draft last Friday after being picked 21st overall in early June.
Schlereth, a 26th overall pick, followed Perry’s lead and was scheduled to sign on to begin his professional career Tuesday as he and the Diamondbacks reached an agreement Monday.
The former Arizona hurler is expected to be awarded a signing bonus in the range of $1.29 to $1.35 million while former teammate Perry already raked in a cool $1.48 million dollar bonus from Detroit.
“”I’m happy for both of those guys, they really deserve it,”” UA head coach Andy Lopez said in a phone interview. “”I’m glad they’re in their respective systems now and I know they’ll go about (their careers) the right way.””
Before the pair had even been drafted, rumors regarding playing time in the major leagues this season surrounded Perry and Schlereth.
Since then, the talk has diminished only slightly, even for Schlereth who was sidelined during the Wildcats’ Super Regional loss to Miami with a strained latissimus dorsi muscle in his back.
According to Lopez, however, the injury was of a fairly minor degree and should not affect the beginning of the right-hander’s professional career.
“”I think he’ll be fine,”” Lopez said of Schlereth’s injury. “”It was a nagging thing he dealt with, but I don’t think that’ll be an issue.
“”He’s in an entirely different world now,”” Lopez added. “”He’s playing professional baseball, not going to school where sometimes you just don’t have time to get treated.
“”Now he’ll have ample time to be treated and I really believe he’ll be just fine.””
Pending the results of a physical, Schlereth will likely be headed to the D’backs’ rookie affiliate, the Missoula Osprey, and could see action as soon as this weekend.
Perry has already been sent to Detroit’s rookie team – the Gulf Coast League Tigers – where he has yet to make his first appearance.
While early rumors had Perry being called up to Detroit in early September when the roster expands, Tigers’ vice president of amateur scouting David Chadd told the Associated Press he thinks the former Arizona fireballer will remain in the minors through September as “”there is no urgency to rush (Perry).””
While Lopez said he could not predict when either of his former relievers would see the major leagues, he does expect both to be ready when that time comes.
“”I don’t think (the transition from college to the pro’s) will be an issue at all,”” Lopez said. “”They’ll just need to get used to the speed of the game and that comes with playing.
“”I expect those guys will just keep doing what they did while they were (at Arizona) and once they get some experience under their belt I believe they’ll be in great shape.””
