The path to claiming a big-league roster spot just got a lot tougher for this New York Yankees' former top prospect.
Infielder Oswald Peraza's shoulder pain has returned and he is heading for imaging to determine the severity of the injury, as Yankees manager Aaron Boone told Joel Sherman of The New York Post.
Peraza was spotted leaving Steinbrenner Field in street clothes on Thursday afternoon while the Yankees shuffled in for a workout ahead of their night game against the Detroit Tigers.
Peraza was sidelined from February 25 through Tuesday with shoulder tightness. He then played second base on Tuesday and shortstop on Wednesday in Grapefruit League action.
However, the 23-year-old went to Boone on Thursday morning to inform him that his shoulder was still bothering him. But Boone downplayed his level of concern, as he does not perceive the injury to be serious.
The Yankees already have a crowded infield, so Peraza was unlikely to make the big-league club out of spring training, regardless of his injury. The team wants Peraza to play everyday and receive regular at-bats in Triple-A, as opposed to playing infrequently as a utility infielder in the majors.
Should Peraza suffer any additional setbacks, his slim chance to make the Opening Day roster will evaporate.
With Peraza dealing with a shoulder issue, this could pave the way for Oswaldo Cabrera to land a spot on the big-league roster as a backup infielder.
Peraza, who was a top prospect in the Yankees' farm system not long ago, lost the starting shortstop job to Anthony Volpe in camp last year.
Peraza first debuted with the Yankees down the stretch of the 2022 season, and showed some production at the plate, slashing .306/.404/.429 with a .833 OPS in 49 at-bats across 18 games. But last year, he took a step back, hitting .191/.267/.272 with a .539 OPS in 52 games.
Peraza was once looked at as a future star in the Yankees' organization, but he has been overshadowed a bit by the arrival of Volpe, as well as the slew of veterans the team features in their infield.
The hope is that Peraza's shoulder injury isn't serious, but it comes at the worst possible time, as he is fighting for a roster spot with the big-league club.
More must-reads: