Mito Perez signs with the Texas Rangers Organization
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The MLB Draft passed on Mito Perez, but the Texas Rangers signed him as an undrafted free agent.
Perez, who grew up in the Rio Grande Valley, got the news in an unexpected moment. "I was in my room playing video games. My agent was calling me and I was like 'it's either going to be really bad or really good. He could say your career is over or something good. I answered and he told me I paused the game and ran out of my room, told everyone. It was awesome," Perez said.
His mother's reaction stayed with him. "She was crying. She was super proud of me telling me she loves me. My mom is my biggest supporter no matter what," Perez said.
His path to professional baseball was shaped in The Valley, guided by his father, Edinburg Vela Head Coach Jaime Perez, who coached and raised him at the same time.
"All the hard work that we've done as a family as a village to get him where he's at is surreal. It's a dream. We're really happy for him. He's put in a lot of work," Jaime Perez said.
The elder Perez also reflected on what the signing means beyond his family. "Him going where he's going really helps the The Valley as a whole. Being able to sign a professional contract and go play professional ball and represent the whole community is huge for us," Perez said.
For Mito, signing with Texas carried a deeper meaning. "Surreal. It's the only way I can put it into words. It doesn't feel real. Growing up in Texas you either dream of playing for the Astros or playing for the Rangers so it doesn't feel real at all," Perez said.
His belief in himself never faded through the doubt and the draft night silence. "I always thought I could do it," Perez said.
He also had a message for young players in The Valley following in his footsteps. "As long as you keep your head down, keep working. Never look up. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise just keep working," Perez said.
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