Delvin Perez, Top 2016 MLB Draft Prospect, Failed Drug Test

Delvin Perez looked like a potential top five pick in the 2016 MLB Draft just a week or two ago, now the toolsy high school shortstop’s stock is plummeting. Jon Heyman is now reporting that Perez failed a recent drug test and that’s why he’s dropping.

Perez has long been seen as solidly inside the top 10, but recent mock drafts have indicated he could fall out of that range. No one seemed to know why and now we have our answer.

Meanwhile, Keith Law dropped the bombshell that the drug in question wasn’t marijuana.

Perez won’t turn 18 until November 24, so a 17-year-old testing positive for marijuana would concern major league scouts, but almost certainly wouldn’t be a deal-breaker. That could be chalked up to a teenager doing something stupid. The fact that it’s another drug would be a huge deal. That means Perez is either on a much heavier recreational drug or potentially a performance-enhancing substance.

At 6-foot-3 and 165 pounds, Perez is a lanky shortstop who was almost universally ranked as the top player at his position in this year’s draft. Many observers believe that he’s not as polished as fellow Puerto Rican Carlos Correa, his tools grade out at the same level. That’s extremely high praise.

Despite a wealth of talent, don’t be surprised if Perez drops like a rock when the draft kicks off on Thursday.