Mark Persails

From BR Bullpen

Mark Anthony Persails

  • Bats Right, Throws Right
  • Height 6' 3", Weight 180 lb.

BR register page

Biographical Information[edit]

Mark Persails pitched in the pro ranks for 11 years, reaching AAA.

Persails was taken by the Detroit Tigers in the 34th round of the 1994 amateur draft. He was 1-4 with a 4.41 ERA in his pro debut for the 1995 GCL Tigers. With the 1996 Jamestown Jammers, he had a very similar 1-4, 4.24 record. Back with Jamestown in '97, he fell to 3-7, 5.74. He tied for 7th in the New York-Penn League in losses, was second in hits allowed (103, 8 behind Eric Ireland), tied Jim Wallace for the most runs allowed (64) and gave up the most earned runs (54).

Detroit moved him to the bullpen with the 1998 West Michigan Whitecaps and he was much sharper at 11-5, 2.83. He tied Brad Thomas and Wilfredo Rodriguez for 8th in the Midwest League in wins and was 5th in the Tigers chain in that department. He was then dealt with Dean Crow, Brian Powell, Paul Bako and Carlos Villalobos to the Houston Astros for Brad Ausmus and C.J. Nitkowski. He split 1999 between the Kissimmee Cobras (1-1, 2.21 in 10 G) and Jackson Generals (1-0, 1.37 in 12 G).

With the 2000 Round Rock Express, Persails was 3-2 with three saves but a 6.32 ERA and 1.81 WHIP. He was 4th in the Astros chain with 50 games pitched, between Fernando Hernandez and Mark Hutton. He split 2001 between Round Rock (2 R in 1 1/3 IP) and then back in the Tigers chain with the Lakeland Tigers (Sv, 2.84 in 3 G), Erie SeaWolves (1-4, 7.28) and Toledo Mud Hens (2-3, 5.77). After missing 2002, he was with the independent Jackson Senators in 2003, posting a 8-3, 2.70 record. He was 10th in the Central Baseball League in ERA.

Persails split 2004 between Jackson (3-3, 4.50), the Atlantic City Surf (1-0, 1.29 in 3 G), the San Angelo Colts (1-2, 5.45) and the Coastal Bend Aviators (1-3, 7.84). He was 10-10 with a 5.39 ERA for the 2005 Surf. He tied Pat Daneker and Brian Tollberg for 7th in the Atlantic League in wins, tied for 6th in losses, was 3rd with 68 walks (after Brent Billingsley and Jose Mieses) and was 7th with 114 strikeouts (between Denny Harriger and Mieses).

In 2006, he was 7-5 with a 3.43 ERA for Atlantic City. He was 6th in the Atlantic League in ERA (between Greg Powell and Pat Ahearne) and third with 116 strikeouts (behind Mark DiFelice and Linc Mikkelsen) to end his minor league career on a high note. He was 0-3 with a 6.32 ERA and 2.49 WHIP that winter for the Cañeros de Los Mochis. He had gone 55-59 with 6 saves and a 4.54 ERA in 268 games as a pro (133 starts), throwing 3 shutouts. He struck out 722 and walked 426 in 1,002 1/3 IP while allowing 1,057 hits. He had arm surgery in 2007 that ended his playing career.

Persails was an associate scout for the Cleveland Indians starting in 2008. In 2010-2011, he was head coach of Plant City High School.