A 'dad and son' relationship: How Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo got on track

Shortstop Geraldo Perdomo has been regarded as a significant part of the Diamondbacks' future.

But the future became the organization's present when veteran shortstop Nick Ahmed suffered a shoulder injury on May 15.

Since then, the 22-year-old is on the path to becoming a defensive whiz during his first full major league season. It wasn’t a perfect transition at first, with Perdomo finding his bumps in May and June with four errors in each month.

Third base coach Tony Perezchica's guidance put Perdomo in the right direction. Perezchica has been a constant in Perdomo’s professional career as he’s worked with him since 2017 when he joined the organization via international free agency.

“My communication with him is very nice, like a dad and son. For me, it’s great,” Perdomo said.

The two worked on Perdomo’s glove hand and polishing the exchange. Perezchica emphasized the discipline of using minimal steps when receiving the ball to throw to first.

Little tweaks to his game then set the stage for Perdomo.

“He’s got tremendous energy. That’s what has helped him put in the work in the daily grind. We’ve talked about it, it’s just to simplify all of the actions, that’s what’s helped him,” Perezchica said. “He’s very open. He likes to talk, he likes to analyze a lot of stuff and go over stuff, which I think for a 22-year-old young adult definitely makes him a better player and a better defender.”

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The 6-foot-2, 203-pound Perdomo might still be figuring out his game on the offensive side, but he is flourishing into a game changer on defense since finding his strides in the infield in July. Perdomo smoothed his defense and churned out a spotless month in the infield in 24 games.

When other players start to drop off in sharpness from the toll of the long season, Perdomo’s “tremendous energy” and willingness to learn have paid off for his production in the infield.

“He came over and started putting in the work and has been a gradual progression throughout the year. He’s finally started developing into the things he needed to do. We see that now in the months of July and in the beginning of August. He’s only gotten better,” Perezchica said.

While the bar for shortstops remains high with few able to claim elite defense, he’s trending on the right path.

Perdomo ranks among the top 10 in out rate when making plays to his backhand, according to Sports Info Solutions, but is only 25th when fielding on his forehand. When using his forehand, his out rate is at 90 percent. The best defensive major league shortstops like Carlos Correa, Andrew Velazquez and Corey Seager range between 95 to 96 percent.

Finding chemistry with those in the infield has also helped. Perdomo is a communicative player and works well with third baseman Josh Rojas and second baseman Ketel Marte.

“It’s fun. I joke a lot with Rojas, and with Marte, it’s like my brother. We have very good communication. It’s really great,” Perdomo said.

Gone are the jitters that may come along with adjusting to becoming an everyday major league player.

Although Perdomo has improved after playing nearly 100 games this season, he has always had the confidence that he would get to where he needed to be. Perezchica sees in him a strong belief that he belongs at this level, which has in return made his defense better.

“He sees himself getting better and he feels that. I think we can talk all we want, but if you don’t feel it, you don’t trust. He feels it, he feels that he belongs here, he feels that he’s definitely a player that can help us win,” Perezchica said.

Last season was only a sampling of the major leagues, but it was a big learning curve for Perdomo at the plate in both the minors and the majors.

He had hiccups in the 2021 season and was even brought to the Diamondbacks spring training facility midseason to revamp his swing and help improve his .151 batting average in Double-A. His season sped up once he moved through the levels and made it back to the Diamondbacks when Ahmed had a season-ending shoulder injury in late September 2021.

In 11 games with the Diamondbacks for his first taste of the big leagues, he batted .258 with five runs.

“I’ll still feel that he’s going to be a special player once he becomes a more well-rounded player. His offense will come and if he stays focused on the defensive part, that will definitely show up in the future years,” Perezchica said.

His spot in the nine hole this season gives him motivation to provide more opportunities for his teammates Rojas, Alek Thomas and Marte, who hit at the top of the order. He wants to add more offense to his game, but right now, he wants to contribute in any way he can.

While offense remains a component under construction in Perdomo’s game, he’s showed impressive speed on the bases. Perdomo is fourth on the team with 41 runs.

On August 8 against the Pirates, Perdomo cruised to second base in the sixth inning after getting a good lead off pitcher Manny Banuelos and earned his fifth stolen base of the season. In the eighth inning, Perdomo’s bunt was well-timed and paired perfectly with his legs, allowing him to place pinch-runner Sergio Alcantara at third base with no outs in the eighth inning.

Whether Perdomo grinds his way to getting on base or he provides a smart defensive play, his growth this season in a crucial position is a good sign for the Diamondbacks in the future.

“I think he’s starting to understand that he can be pretty good on the defensive side. He’s understanding that he’ll get there. The defensive part of the game that he brings will help us win,” Perezchica said.

Reach the reporter at jenna.ortiz@arizonarepublic.com or 602-647-4122. Follow her on Twitter @jennarortiz. 

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Diamondbacks' Geraldo Perdomo on track to becoming a defensive whiz at shortstop