August 12-18, 2025

Everson Pereira (OF, TB)

The players covered in this column are only those who still have rookie status as determined by MLB, and who have not already been written up earlier in 2025. Find previous Call-up profiles on the Content tab of the player's PlayerLink page. 

Contributing writers: Jeremy Deloney, Nick Richards, Matthew St-Germain, and Jesse Severe
 

August 12, 2025

Everson Pereira (OF, TAM)
The Tampa Bay Rays called up Pereira and started him batting fifth and playing CF on Monday August 11, after his deadline trade from the Yankees. The 24-year-old played 27 games for the Yankees in 2023, then missed much of 2024 to injury before returning to Triple-A to start this season. There the 5’11”, 200-lb outfielder put up a typical Pereira season: 21 HR but with a .256 BA and 100 SO in 348 PA. He can provide some stolen bases, and the power is real, and he will draw enough walks to get a decent OBP, but the BA is likely to be light.  He is susceptible to holes in his strike zone coverage, and thus the strikeouts that come along with with package. The main thing is he was healthy this year, and it’s been a long road to get to this point. He has enough skills to hold down a starting outfield spot. Unlike 2024, he hit better against LHP this year, so he might get starts against both types. He started his first game against a lefty, and we shall see how he is used.
STATS: Pereira Baseball-Reference page 
OTHER COVERAGE: No. 14 on NYY Org Report
CURRENT ROLE: Starting OF
POTENTIAL: Starting OF
RATING: 7C

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Luinder Avila (RHP, KC)
The Kansas City Royals called up Avila to make his major league debut out of their bullpen. A 6’3”, 195-lb righty, Avila spent most of this season in Triple-A Omaha as a starter. But he landed on the IL in late May with a shoulder issue, and only recently started his rehab. He made four appearances, pitching just one, two, three, and two-and-two-thirds innings in those appearances. He is likely to be used in long relief initially. Of his 212 batters faced this year, he struck out 29% of them while walking 10%. A 19% K-BB rate will do fine in whatever role they use him. He throws four pitches, leading with a low-to-mid 90s plus FB with good spin and run. His low-90s cutter, his upper-70s curve and his low-80s slider give him enough of a pitch mix to become a back of rotation starter. But with only his FB as plus, that is likely to be his ceiling. 
STATS: Avila Baseball-Reference page 
CURRENT ROLE: Middle reliever
POTENTIAL: #5 starter/swingman
RATING: 6C

Jose Espada (RHP, BAL)
The Baltimore Orioles selected the contract of 28-year-old Espada to join their bullpen. Last seen in the majors in 2023 with the Padres, Espada spent 2024 in Japan, before returning this year and moving to Baltimore. Between Double-A and two Triple-A teams, the 6’0”, 170-lb righty has faced 178 batters while striking out 37% and walking 12% out of their pens. He throws three pitches, starting with his mid-90s four-seam fastball, which is an improvement over the low-90s he showed in 2023. He throws a low-90s sinker, and a mid-80s slider. It’s enough to get the strikeouts increased over his 2023 minor league numbers, but the walks are too high for him to dominate. If he could reign that in just a bit, he could become a useful middle reliever.  
STATS: Espada Baseball-Reference page 
CURRENT ROLE: Middle reliever
POTENTIAL: Middle reliever
RATING: 5C

 

PLAYER POTENTIAL RATING
Scale of (1-10) representing a player’s upside potential
10 - Hall of Fame-type player
9 - Elite player
8 - Solid regular
7 - Average regular
6 - Platoon player
5 - Major League reserve player
4 - Top minor league player
3 - Average minor league player
2 - Minor league reserve player
1 - Minor league roster filler

PROBABILITY RATING
Scale of (A-E) representing the player’s realistic chances of achieving their potential
A - 90% probability of reaching potential
B - 70% probability of reaching potential
C - 50% probability of reaching potential
D - 30% probability of reaching potential
E - 10% probability of reaching potential

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