MILWAUKEE -- When the Brewers signed Dominican pitcher Wily Peralta in 2006, Milwaukee knew it saw something special in the then-16-year-old right-hander.
Recent drafts haven't yielded many legitimate Brewers pitching prospects — Yovani Gallardo, in 2007, was the last to make it to the majors — but the team had high hopes for Peralta. And in 2011, he was named the top prospect in the Brewers' organization by Baseball America and MLB.com.
Six years after Peralta was drafted, hopes have now become expectations. After going 11-7 with a 3.17 ERA at Double-A Huntsville and Triple-A Nashville last season, the young pitcher could be on the doorstep this season of being a serious contributor in the Milwaukee rotation.
"This is a guy that we really like in the future," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said last Friday. "The minor league guys really like him. He's got tremendous stuff. He's a good athlete."
And with Kameron Loe on bereavement leave last weekend, the Brewers got a chance to glimpse into that seemingly bright future.
His name wasn't on a locker just yet in Milwaukee's clubhouse, but for the first time in his career, Peralta was on a major league team — the day he had been waiting for since the Brewers drafted him.
"It was just a dream come true when he told me that," Peralta said of his brief call-up, which ended Tuesday.
He had heard last Friday morning — a day that was supposed to be filled with preparation for his fourth start of the season at Triple-A Nashville. But with Loe's absence, those plans changed on a dime.
Soon after the call, Peralta was in Milwaukee. And with No. 5 pitcher Chris Narveson injured, the opportunity for a longer stay later this season was and is still there. Although Marco Estrada's start the next day all but locked down that open spot for the immediate future, Roenicke openly spoke of Peralta as being the next option, after Estrada, to fill that spot.
"We'll see what happens with the starts and with Marco and we'll see how it goes," Roenicke said. "As long as he's pitching well and starting and doing a good job for us, I would think that we'll stay with that."
But Roenicke had hinted at Peralta getting playing time, and with the Brewers leading by a few runs late against Colorado on Sunday, Peralta got the call. The appearance was just one inning long, and Peralta's command wasn't all there, resulting in an earned run, but Roenicke seemed content with how the debut went. More than anything, he said, he just wanted Peralta to get experience in a major league game.
"He was pretty amped up," Roenicke said. "His command wasn't as good as it's going to be, but that's why we have him here."
There were signs of Peralta's sky-high potential, especially with his fastball — the most consistent of his pitches. He topped out at an impressive 97 mph on a pitch he used to strike out Rockies outfielder Tyler Colvin, making clear the potential to be an exciting fireballer is there.
But the Brewers know how important it is to bring Peralta along slowly. They took a risk on him six years ago in the Dominican Republic — one that has paid off so far — and there's no need to rush him into a rotation that's already set.
"He's got a big upside to him," Roenicke said. "Hopefully by doing the right things with him, we'll get him to that point."
Of course, an injury or some struggles by a current starter could very well open the door sooner rather than later. And that's a challenge, Peralta says, he's confident he can take on as soon as needed.
"I feel ready," Peralta said. "I prepared myself in the offseason for this year, and I think this is going to be my year."
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