Perez will be stretched out as a starter during the first few weeks of spring training and is expected to compete for a rotation role in camp, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports.
With only 16.2 career innings above the Double-A level, Perez looks to be one of the unlikelier candidates to secure a starting role on a Houston squad ripe with intriguing arms. The 22-year-old southpaw certainly possesses some upside thanks to a repertoire that includes a mid-90s fastball and two quality breaking pitches, but his easiest path to innings with the big club in 2019 may come as a reliever. The Astros aren't brimming with lefty relief depth and could view Perez as a more appealing option than Reymin Guduan or Framber Valdez.