Will Oswald Peraza’s Lackluster Rookie Season Put Yankees In A Tough Spot Amid Anthony Volpe’s Breakout Year?

Young players bring high expectations, hence high uncertainty. Such is the case of one New York Yankees 2022 debutant. The 23-year-old Oswald Peraza has shown much promise in his capabilities. However, despite that, there are apprehensions about finding his name in next year’s active roster. 

Be it health conditions or performance, Peraza seems to be on thin ice. To add to it, the Yankees enjoy the success of Anthony Volpe‘s standout rookie season. Volpe’s outstanding play has raised the bar and intensified the competition for the team’s desired active roster spots. Strangely, Peraza finds himself in doubt even though the Yankees skipper once said, “He’s strong, he’s got bat speed”.

Stats Show a Cloudy Future for Oswald Peraza Despite Being a Strong and Young Player

Oswald Peraza has been alternating between Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and the Bronx, hitting a meager .191 with a .539 OPS in 52 major league games this season. For the time being, the 23-year-old is splitting his time between third base and second base, in spite of having Gleyber Torres and DJ LeMahieu. Comparatively, these both are more deserving of at-bats at 3rd and 2nd given their performance as per the New York Post. But there’s more to it that dates back to 2022. 

Peraza was expected to advantageously win the starting job in spring training. However, after starting a postseason game at shortstop in 2022, his teammate Volpe grabbed it from him. After Volpe overtook him, the Venezuelan went to work in the minor leagues, posting a 117 wRC+ in the two and a half months. This happened between his first demotion in early May and the call-up in mid-July subsequently. However, those performances quickly dried up back in the majors. He experienced some of his worsts. 

With 24 players who saw the plate for the Yankees in 2023, his 53 wRC+ ranked as the fourth-worst. The fundamental problem was that he could not keep up with the fastball. Out of 580 major league hitters with a minimum of 10 PAs, his -7 Statcast Run-Value against the four-seamer ranked 27th-worst. Pitchers realized they could attack him over the middle of the plate with other threat, as evidenced by his -9 swing/take runs in the middle of the strikes zone. That said, there are constant comparisons with his teammate. 

A Hopeful Future Despite Comparisons With Anthony Volpe

There are now significant doubts about Peraza’s ability to establish himself as a regular major league player, despite his big league career having started off so promisingly. His defense, which almost all current models prefer over that of teammate and 2023 AL Gold Glove winner Anthony Volpe at shortstop, is his one strong suit. While Volpe leads in counting stats like OAA and DRS, this is only because of the large innings difference at the position. 

Read More: ‘It’s a Big Dream’- Derek Jeter’s Successor and Yankees Shortstop Oswald Peraza Describes What It Means to Play for Pinstripes

Peraza has time to establish his worth as a full-time member of the major league team. Regarding Oswald, Aaron Boone once remarked, “There’s no question in my mind defensively. There’s no question in my mind he has the offensive tools and physical tools to do that“. This shows the trust the management has in him. But only time will tell how the roster looks for the New York Yankees in 2024. 

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