Cameron Perkins climbing Phils' prospect ladder

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READING, Pa. -- There is something to be said for keeping it simple.

In that case, Cameron Perkins has a lot to say.

Perkins, the 23-year-old right-handed slugger for Double A Reading, is quickly climbing the prospect ladder with a simple, "aw-shucks" style that is both old school and unique. For instance, when Perkins digs in, he doesn’t wear batting gloves, choosing instead to rub a little dirt and spit into his palms while gripping the bat at the knob.

And then there is the swing. Perkins will watch the off-speed and breaking pitches go by, before unleashing a short but smooth cut when those fastballs cross the plate. So far this season the fastballs usually end up banging off the outfield fence.

Or over it.

Perkins has hit like crazy during the first month of the season. In Reading’s first 17 games, Perkins has 11 multi-hit games with two homers, nine doubles, 12 RBIs, a pair of stolen bases and a robust .407 batting average. Already this season he has played first base, all three outfield positions and says he played third base in college.

It would be one thing if Perkins was simply off to a quick start or having a hot month, but there’s a little more to it than that. After three seasons at Purdue University, Perkins went from rookie ball to Single A Clearwater, where he batted .299 with 31 doubles in 105 games. He also suffered a broken bone in his wrist that kept him out of action for a while.

But it didn’t stop Perkins from hitting. Even though he made the big jump to Double A, Perkins has been impressive.

“Obviously, he’s swinging the bat well,” Reading manager Dusty Wathan said. “He’s just a guy who is a baseball player. His hand-eye coordination is outstanding -- he’s putting the barrel on the ball consistently. He did it last year, too. He’s just picked up where he’s left off.”

Simple as that, huh? Actually, yes. Asked about specific pitches during his plate appearances or his goals for his first year at Double A, Perkins just shrugs and gives a shy smile.

“I’m really a low-maintenance kind of guy,” Perkins said about his approach to the game. “I don’t pay much attention to things I can’t control. There are good players everywhere you go. You just have to go out there and control what you can control.”

In Monday’s 7-3 victory over Giants affiliate Richmond, Perkins hit a long double off the wall in left field that ended up driving home the go-ahead run after he worked the count full. Two innings later, Perkins got a first-pitch fastball and pasted it over the wall in left.

Perkins figured he’d get a fastball in the seventh inning after seeing nothing but junk in the fifth.

As far as his future with the Phillies, Perkins seems to have a pretty good pedigree. He went to Southport High School in Indianapolis that produced just one other major leaguer -- Phillies Hall of Famer, Chuck Klein, arguably the best player in franchise history.

But Perkins will need a position. Ryan Howard and Maikel Franco seem to be ahead of Perkins at first base, and Cody Asche and Franco play third base. The crowded outfield has Domonic Brown, Darin Ruf and Ben Revere as well as prospects like Aaron Altherr, Zach Collier, Carlos Tocci and Kelly Dugan.

However, if a guy can hit, the team will find a position for him. In that regard, Perkins says he’s up for anything.

“I feel like I can play anywhere,” Perkins said. “Usually I’m a corner infielder and outfielder. I played third in college and I just recently moved to outfield and I’ve been mixing in at first because we have so many outfielders who are hitting so well. Whatever can help me get in the lineup, I’ll do it.”

And Perkins hasn’t looked at it much beyond that. The simple approach, from the bare hands gripping the bat to the desire to play any position on the diamond, Perkins says he’s not looking beyond what he can do in the next game.

“I try to go game by game. I try to take the big picture and always look at what I can do to help my team win a game,” he said. “You might go 0 for 3, but if you cut a ball off in the gap and hold the runner and keep the double play in order, you have to think of it like that.”

Not that there have been too many 0-for-3s for Perkins this year. With 12 extra-base hits, 12 RBIs and a batting average over .400 in his first month at Double A, Perkins’ future might arrive sooner than anticipated.

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