Is Oswald Peraza the Next Great Yankees Shortstop?
Unless you work for a prospect evaluation publication, or you’re a Yankee fan who pays very close attention to such things, it’s likely that you’re not familiar with Oswald Peraza. Before we delve into why you should know who the shortstop for the Somerset Patriots (NY Yankees, AA) is, let’s look at why he’s relatively unknown. To say the Yankees had serious organizational depth at shortstop coming into the 2021 season would be a vast understatement (somewhat ironic, considering they didn’t have a proven one on the major league roster). So much depth in fact that Ezequiel Duran, Hoy Park, Diego Castillo and Josh Smith – all highly regarded shortstops in the Yankees’ system at one point – have been traded this season.
Even after the trades, the Yankees’ minor league depth at shortstop is still impressive. Alexander Vargas entered the season as the fifth highest rated Yankees’ prospect, while Dayro Perez and Roberto Chirinos were also on the Yankees’ top 50 prospect pre-season list. Trey Sweeney is currently number 6 on the Yankees’ prospect list. Heck, the Yankees have so much depth at shortstop in the minor leagues, highly regarded Oswaldo Cabrera started seeing time at third base and second base just to get him consistent at bats.
That’s nine shortstops with potential and none of them are Anthony Volpe. Volpe, the Yankees first pick in the 2019 draft, and the number 15 prospect in all of baseball according to MLB Pipeline, is also a shortstop. Volpe is busy generating video game numbers in A ball so far in 2021 and is playing good defense while he does it.
Now that we know a little bit about the depth at shortstop in the Yankees’ organization, we can see how a good shortstop can fly under the radar. So why should we know who Oswald Peraza is, and why should we pay attention to him?
For starters, since being signed as a relatively unheralded international free agent in 2016, Peraza has done nothing but put up good offensive numbers, and play an above average shortstop while also displaying veteran instincts.
In 2017, playing for two different Rookie League teams, the then-17-year-old Peraza posted a .381 OBP over 258 PA while also stealing 13 bases against only 2 caught stealing. He was promoted in 2018 to the Pulaski Yankees of the Appalachian League where he continued to show an ability to get on base and run successfully when he did, with eight SB in nine attempts.
In 2019, Peraza was promoted to low-A Staten Island where he played in only 19 games before being promoted to the high-A Charleston River Dogs. As a then 19 year old in the South Atlantic League, Peraza shined brightly finishing in the top five among SAL shortstops in BA, OBP and SB despite being 2.5 years younger than the league’s average player age.
After the year of limbo that was 2020, the Yankees assigned Peraza to the high A Hudson Valley Renegades to start the 2021 season. Once again, he displayed plus defensive skills, an ability to get on base (.386 OBP) and steal bases (16 SB versus 1 CS) in 28 games. This time however, Oswald brought a power bat with him too, belting five HR and 10 doubles in those 28 games for a .532 SLG and a 145 wRC+. That production earned him the High A player of the month this past May, and yet another quick promotion, this time to AA Somerset.
The quick promotion, plus the fact that he’s still just 21, hasn’t slowed him down. In 284 PA with Somerset, Peraza has posted .280/.331/.443 slash line, a 110 wRC+ and 16 SB with only 1 caught stealing. Additionally, the smart folks over at Fangraphs have his defense listed as 55/60 with plus arm strength, and the Yankees have measured his maximum exit velocity at 110 mph (many MLB hitters haven’t hit a ball 110 mph).
All of that is impressive in and of itself, but when you factor in the multiple quick promotions and his very young age for each level, it becomes even more impressive. His numbers are good, but would likely be monstrous if he played full seasons against players with similar experience. When it’s all combined, MLB.com has Peraza listed as the third best Yankees’ prospect behind Volpe and outfielder Jasson Dominguez, and the 64th best overall in MLB.
Now that we know he’s a legit prospect and we have some answers as to how he’s flying somewhat under the radar, what should we expect ongoing, and more importantly perhaps, why should you be interested even if you’re not a Yankee fan?
As mentioned above, the Yankees don’t have a player on their major league roster who’s proven he can play the position on a big league level. Is it possible that Gleyber Torres will show he can play the position well at some point? Possibly – but it’s far more likely that the Yankees see a hole they need to fill long term. Peraza’s name, along with Volpe’s will come up very often.
Let’s not forget that Peraza is 21, Volpe is 20, and even in best case scenarios neither will be big league contributors until 2023. Let’s also remember that there is a comically loaded free agent shortstop class this coming off season. Given the current make-up of the rest of the team, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Yankees make a run at one of the free agents, which obviously would affect how they view Peraza’s role long term. (Somewhat tangentially, you heard it here first: Corey Seager has 48 HR since 2019. If all of his at bats were in Yankee Stadium, he’d have 61. I’m sure that is something of which the Yankees’ brass is aware.)
If the Yankees do go the free agent route, or if Gleyber Torres shows he can field the position well on a consistent basis, both Peraza and Volpe become very attractive mid-season trade chips next summer. It may not be as certain as death and taxes, but the “Yankees are in a division race and need a starting pitcher” bet is a virtual lock every summer.
However things shake out over the next season or two, Oswald Peraza is very likely going to be a factor in how the Yankees construct their roster. He may end up being their shortstop of the future, he might end up switching positions, deferring to the Jersey native Volpe. Peraza could be a significant trade chip this offseason, or at the trade deadline next season. He could fall somewhere in between all of those outcomes; injuries and unexpected performance have a way of derailing the best laid plans.
Peraza obviously makes sense to follow if you’re a Yankee fan. Even if you’re not a Yankee fan, Peraza’s well-positioned to jump from relative obscurity to promising gem of the system. If Peraza is blocked within the Yankees Major and minor league rankings, his trade availability would pique the interest of most every team in baseball. Regardless, he’s worth watching; he’s exciting on the field. His off-the-field story will be interesting to follow, too. Most importantly, you now know who Oswald Peraza.
-Jon Rimmer
