Eury Perez keeps checking boxes. Here’s the latest on the Miami Marlins’ top prospect

All throughout spring training, Miami Marlins manager Skip Schumaker stressed the importance of Eury Perez checking boxes in terms of his development. The 6-8 right-handed pitcher and top prospect in Miami’s system is undeniably talented — he is the No. 11 overall prospect in baseball according to MLB Pipeline, after all — but still has room to grow at just 20 years old.

He checked off another big box this week as he works his way toward getting closer to the big leagues.

For the first time in his pro ball career, Perez pitched twice in a week on four days’ rest — the typical routine for a big-league starting pitcher.

And Perez was his typical dominant self in those two outings for the Double A Pensacola Blue Wahoos.

On Tuesday, Perez toss five innings of one-run ball against the Mississippi M-Braves (the Atlanta Braves’ Double A affiliate), giving up just two hits and one walk while striking out 11 batters. Five days later, Perez took it a step further by holding the M-Braves to one run over six innings on two hits and two walks while striking out nine.

To recap: 11 innings pitched, two runs allowed on four hits and three walks while striking out 20 batters. It was Perez’s fourth consecutive outing pitching at least five innings and holding opponents to no more than one run after giving up eight runs (five earned) over nine innings in his first two starts of the 2023 season.

Perez’s pitch arsenal is one rife with potential. His fastball hits triple digits and his changeup is great at generating swings and misses. He also has a slider that he is continuing to develop to give him an effective third pitch.

Now, there are still areas of his game that are unknown. In particular, the Marlins have been cautious with his pitch counts and have limited his opportunities to pitch deep into games. Perez has yet to pitch beyond the sixth inning — and he has only completed six innings four times. He has never thrown more than 90 pitches in any of his starts.

Loosening the reins and seeing how he fares deeper in games very well might be one of the final boxes he still has to check.

Marlins prospects notables

▪ Right-handed pitcher Nic Enright, the Marlins’ Rule 5 Draft selection whose ramp up to the season was delayed after being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in December, has pitched 6 2/3 innings over three rehab assignment outings since April 29. After making his first two appearances with Single A Jupiter, Enright pitched two perfect innings with two strikeouts for Triple A Jacksonville on Sunday.

▪ Outfielder Jake Mangum hit .333 (9 for 27) with three doubles, a triple, four runs scored and three walks against five strikeouts for Triple A Jacksonville last week. The switch-hitter is batting .345 on the season with a .902 on-base-plus-slugging mark over 24 games played.

▪ The all-or-nothing trend with outfielder Griffin Conine continues. Last week, he hit a pair of home runs and went 5 for 15 at the plate overall for Double A Pensacola. Six of his 10 outs, though, were strikeouts and he has 30 total strikeouts in 84 plate appearances for a 35.4-percent strikeout rate. This isn’t necessarily a new revelation with Conine. He has dealt with high strikeout rates his entire career.

▪ The Nasim Nunez stolen base counter in Double A Pensacola: 14 steals, zero caught stealing. He went a perfect 3 for 3 this week while also hitting .381 (8 for 21) and belting out his third home run of the season.