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Athletics Add Dominican Outfielder Junior Perez and Taiwanese RHP Chen Zhong Ao Zhuang to 40 Man Roster

Matt TallariniNov 20, 20255 MIN READ
Athletics Add Dominican Outfielder Junior Perez and Taiwanese RHP Chen Zhong Ao Zhuang to 40 Man Roster

The Athletics public relations department announced on November 18 that Dominican outfielder Junior Perez and Taiwanese right-handed pitcher Chen Zhong Ao Zhuang were added to the 40-man roster after the club selected their contracts.

Other corresponding moves to clear space on the 40-man roster included designating outfielder JJ Bleday for assignment and adding right-handed pitcher Braden Nett to the roster.

Nett is the top right-handed pitcher in the Athletics organization and is ranked No. 4 overall on the team’s Top 30 prospect list on MLBPipeline.com.

Perez, 24, was born in San Cristobal, Dominican Republic. He has been with the Athletics since he was acquired from the San Diego Padres on November 5, 2020, completing a Player To Be Named Later portion of the Jorge Mateo trade from June 29, 2020.

Perez is currently playing for the Estrellas Orientales during the 2025 26 Liga de Beisbol Profesional de la República Dominicana season. He has appeared in five games with 18 plate appearances, batting .250/.333/.313 with four hits, four RBI, one stolen base, two walks, and five strikeouts.

During the 2025 season, the right-handed slugger split the year between Double-A Midland and Triple-A Las Vegas. He played in 137 games and hit .231 across 587 plate appearances, recording 113 hits, 29 doubles, six triples, 26 home runs, 87 RBI, 27 stolen bases, 87 walks, 165 strikeouts, and an .821 OPS.

Perez was promoted to Triple-A Las Vegas from Double-A Midland on August 1.

In 2024, Perez played 97 games for Double-A Midland and batted .220 with 390 plate appearances. He tallied 75 hits, 24 doubles, two triples, eight home runs, 52 RBI, 28 stolen bases, 42 walks, 138 strikeouts, and a .677 OPS.

Across his seven minor league seasons with the Padres (2018 19) and Athletics (2021- 25), Perez was named an Arizona Complex League Postseason All-Star in 2019 and an MiLB.com Organization All-Star in 2022.

In 674 career minor league games, Perez owns a .229 lifetime average with 2,839 plate appearances, 550 hits, 137 doubles, 21 triples, 83 home runs, 345 RBI, 175 stolen bases, 378 walks, 885 strikeouts, and a .743 OPS.

Zhuang, 25, was born in Taipei, Taiwan, and is ranked No. 29 on the Athletics Top 30 prospect list on MLBPipeline.com.

He joined the Athletics after signing a free agent minor league deal worth $500,000 on November 24, 2021. He drew attention at the 2021 U23 Baseball World Cup, hosted by the World Baseball Softball Confederation in Obregon and Hermosillo, Mexico, where he struck out nine hitters over five shutout innings against Germany.

This past season, Zhuang made 28 appearances and 26 starts for Double-A Midland and posted a 6-11 record with a 4.08 ERA. He threw 145.2 innings, allowing 151 hits, 66 earned runs, 22 home runs, 35 walks, 145 strikeouts, and a 1.277 WHIP.

Zhuang pitched for Chinese Taipei during the 2025 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers and started the win-or-take-all game against Spain on February 25. He earned the win in a 6 3 victory at the Taipei Dome, clinching a berth in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Chinese Taipei will compete in Pool C at the Tokyo Dome from March 5 11 against Japan, Australia, South Korea, and the Czech Republic.

Zhuang worked three innings against Spain, allowing four hits, two earned runs, one walk, and one strikeout at the 2025 WBCQ.

Day 1 Pitching Matchups Set for 2025 WBCQ at Taipei Dome

In 2024, he split time across Low A Stockton, High A Lansing, and Double A Midland. He made 23 appearances and 15 starts with a 2.09 ERA. He threw 86 innings, allowing 64 hits, 20 earned runs, five home runs, 12 walks, 84 strikeouts, and a 0.884 WHIP.

Zhuang did not play during the 2023 season due to a right shoulder injury and was moved from the seven day injured list to the 60 day injured list on July 20, 2023.

In his first professional season in 2022, Zhuang went 0 4 with a 4.71 ERA in eight starts. He threw 42 innings, allowing 46 hits, 22 earned runs, nine home runs, nine walks, 43 strikeouts, and a 1.310 WHIP.

Across his three professional seasons (2022, 2024 25), Zhuang has made 59 appearances and 49 starts with a lifetime 12 17 record and a 3.55 ERA. He has thrown 273.2 innings, allowing 261 hits, 108 earned runs, 36 home runs, 56 walks, 272 strikeouts, and a 1.158 WHIP.

2025 World Baseball Classic Qualifier, illustrating the Athletics selecting the contract of Taiwanese right hander Chen Zhong Ao Zhuang. Taiwan pitcher Chen Zhong Ao Zhuang (48) throws during the first inning of a World Baseball Classic qualifying game against Spain in Taipei, Taiwan, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

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