Carlos Perez Becomes 1st Player Since 2003 with Walk-off Homer in MLB Debut

Los Angeles Angels catcher Carlos Perez started his career in the best way imaginable Tuesday night against the Seattle Mariners, becoming the first player since Miguel Cabrera in 2003 to hit a walk-off home run in his MLB debut, per the Angels' official Twitter account.

Recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake on Monday, the 24-year-old Venezuelan backstop singled during the second inning in the first at-bat of his career, before grounding out and lining out in his next two trips to the plate.

Then, with the game tied at 4-4 heading into the bottom of the ninth, Perez led off for the Angels against Mariners pitcher Danny Farquhar.

Halos manager Mike Scioscia was rewarded for his decision not to use a pinch hitter, as Perez blasted the second pitch he saw over the left-field fence and into the Mariners bullpen.

While Cabrera's walk-off homer for the then-Florida Marlins back in 2003 was a sign of massive things to come, the future Hall of Famer's countryman isn't quite subject to the same expectations.

Perez was actually beat out by Drew Butera for the backup catcher's job in spring training, after joining the Angels in a November trade that sent catcher Hank Conger to Houston and pitcher Nick Tropeano to Los Angeles.

While largely viewed as an ancillary piece in the trade, Perez changed that thinking with his torrid start for Triple-A Salt Lake, as he piled up 26 hits in just 72 at-bats (.361 batting average), with two home runs, eight doubles, seven walks and only seven strikeouts.

Although the sample size is too small to make any definitive judgments, Perez looks like a potential successor to Chris Iannetta as the Angels' primary catcher.

With Iannetta mired in a season-long slump, Perez will get another start behind the plate Wednesday night against the Mariners, per Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register.