New York Yankees third baseman Oswald Peraza. Peter Aiken-Imagn Images

Yankees must part ways with former top prospect

By Aaron Case | Last updated Jun 19, 2025 12:39 PM ET

When Giancarlo Stanton returned to the lineup, the New York Yankees designated infielder/outfielder Pablo Reyes for assignment. That move made sense, as Reyes was unable to distinguish himself as a Bomber, producing just a .468 OPS in limited playing time. But to replace Reyes’ versatility, the Yankees are foolishly preparing infielder Oswald Peraza for possible outfield duty.

This year, New York has given Peraza an excellent opportunity to prove he’s an MLB hitter, and he’s failed miserably. He shouldn’t be in the outfield — he should be out of a job.

The 25-year-old has an MLB-level glove, and a look at his minor league stats indicates he could be a decent hitter, too. He’s cranked 47 long balls in 262 games at Triple-A, posting an above-average .776 OPS. He’s a .268 hitter for his entire MiLB career. However, that potential hasn’t translated well to the big leagues.

Oswald Peraza goes deep AGAIN!

102.6 mph | 394 ft. pic.twitter.com/FWY9x8vmjX
— SWB RailRiders (@swbrailriders) August 3, 2024

Peraza showed a flash of offensive talent when he broke in with the Yankees in 2022, going 15-for-49 (.306) with a homer and three doubles. But when he got more playing time in 2023, he flopped, slashing .191/.267/.272 in 173 at-bats. After a cup of coffee last season, he’s already amassed 108 at-bats this year, managing just 17 knocks, batting .157/.242/.287.

The Yankees have scored a mere six runs in their last six games — all losses. The last thing they need to do is find more ways to get Peraza’s ineffective bat in the lineup.

Unfortunately, Peraza is out of options, so New York has to either keep him on the big league roster or risk losing him when they DFA him. He could be useful as part of a trade package, though, so hopefully Yankees GM Brian Cashman can convince another team that Peraza is still developing.

In the meantime, he should only play as a defensive replacement in blowouts. Even trying Paul Goldschmidt at second base or throwing Ben Rice in at third base and letting Jazz Chisholm Jr. take a spin in the outfield would be better than starting Peraza at this point.

Aaron Case

Aaron Case is a die hard Yankees fan from upstate New York who fuels his writing with too much coffee. When he's not riding the emotional roller coaster that is the MLB season, he's probably daydreaming and doodling or making beats. Follow him on X @AarontheCase1

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