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Perez signs free agent deal with Rangers
7/14/2026 12:10:00 PM | Baseball
Texas native joins home-state organization after 1 season as GCU’s catcher
Mito Perez's college baseball path took him from Texas to GCU, and a professional baseball opportunity will send him back home.
Perez signed with the Texas Rangers as an undrafted free agent, becoming the third member of GCU's 2026 team to earn a professional opportunity after left-handed pitcher Chase Frey was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 15th round and right-handed pitcher Garrett Ahern was picked by the New York Yankees in the 16th round of the MLB Draft.
Perez becomes GCU's 27th undrafted free-agent signing and the program's first with the Rangers. He is the Lopes' first undrafted free-agent signee since Dustin Crenshaw signed with the Seattle Mariners in 2024.
The signing also gives GCU a pro catcher for the second time in five years, joining David Avitia, who signed with the Chicago Cubs as an undrafted free agent in 2022.
Perez, a graduate catcher from Edinburg, Texas, made an immediate impact in his lone season with the Lopes. He appeared in 44 games with 40 starts, serving as GCU's primary catcher and a key top-of-the-order bat.
The right-handed hitter batted .297 with a .398 on-base percentage, three home runs, seven doubles, 18 RBIs, 29 runs scored, 17 walks and five stolen bases. He was one of the toughest hitters in the country to put away, ranking 14th nationally and first in the Mountain West in toughest to strike out. Perez struck out only 10 times in 158 at bats and 192 plate appearances, averaging one strikeout every 15.8 at bats.
Perez also ranked first in the Mountain West and 122nd nationally in sacrifice bunts per game, finishing with a team-high six sacrifice bunts.
His production was even stronger in conference play, where he hit .326 with a .421 on-base percentage while striking out only six times in 92 Mountain West at bats. Perez also tied for fourth in the league with four sacrifice bunts in conference games.
Before transferring to GCU, Perez spent four seasons at Tarleton State. A Robert Vela High School product, Perez was a four-year letterwinner in baseball and football.
The Rangers are adding a Texas catcher with bat-to-ball skill, defensive experience and a track record of handling pitching staffs. For Perez, the next step comes with a home-state organization after helping guide GCU through its first Mountain West season.
Perez signed with the Texas Rangers as an undrafted free agent, becoming the third member of GCU's 2026 team to earn a professional opportunity after left-handed pitcher Chase Frey was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 15th round and right-handed pitcher Garrett Ahern was picked by the New York Yankees in the 16th round of the MLB Draft.
Perez becomes GCU's 27th undrafted free-agent signing and the program's first with the Rangers. He is the Lopes' first undrafted free-agent signee since Dustin Crenshaw signed with the Seattle Mariners in 2024.
The signing also gives GCU a pro catcher for the second time in five years, joining David Avitia, who signed with the Chicago Cubs as an undrafted free agent in 2022.
Perez, a graduate catcher from Edinburg, Texas, made an immediate impact in his lone season with the Lopes. He appeared in 44 games with 40 starts, serving as GCU's primary catcher and a key top-of-the-order bat.
The right-handed hitter batted .297 with a .398 on-base percentage, three home runs, seven doubles, 18 RBIs, 29 runs scored, 17 walks and five stolen bases. He was one of the toughest hitters in the country to put away, ranking 14th nationally and first in the Mountain West in toughest to strike out. Perez struck out only 10 times in 158 at bats and 192 plate appearances, averaging one strikeout every 15.8 at bats.
Perez also ranked first in the Mountain West and 122nd nationally in sacrifice bunts per game, finishing with a team-high six sacrifice bunts.
His production was even stronger in conference play, where he hit .326 with a .421 on-base percentage while striking out only six times in 92 Mountain West at bats. Perez also tied for fourth in the league with four sacrifice bunts in conference games.
Before transferring to GCU, Perez spent four seasons at Tarleton State. A Robert Vela High School product, Perez was a four-year letterwinner in baseball and football.
The Rangers are adding a Texas catcher with bat-to-ball skill, defensive experience and a track record of handling pitching staffs. For Perez, the next step comes with a home-state organization after helping guide GCU through its first Mountain West season.
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