The New York Yankees have several big decisions to make after the lockout ends in the spring (we hope). General manager Brian Cashman is expected to be aggressive coming out of the gates, according to multiple player agents.
Obviously, the Yankees were rather quiet before the lockout, failing to grab any big names off the market to bolster positions of need. However, whether it be via free agency or trade, the Bombers have the necessary tools to acquire significant talent.
At some point, though, Cashman is going to have to part ways with some of his big prospect names, especially after the team struggled to develop Gary Sanchez, Gleyber Torres, and Luis Severino. Some have been impacted by injury, while others have watched their fundamentals disintegrate year after year.
The Yankees have an impressive amount of talent at shortstop in their minor-league affiliates. They are keen to rely on Anthony Volpe as their primary SS down the line, but he is still about two years away from becoming a Major League-level player.
However, Oswald Peraza could be a solid trade piece moving forward, coming in below Volpe in the team’s prospect rankings. Nonetheless, he is an incredible talent with a ton of upside, making him a valuable piece in a prospective deal for a big player.
MiLB.com had rave reviews for Oswald Peraza, which is why he’s one of the Yankees’ top prospects:
Peraza could have four plus tools once he’s fully developed. He has smooth actions at shortstop, the arm to make any throw necessary and a good internal clock that helps him slow the game down defensively. He makes good use of his plus speed and stole 44 bases in 54 attempts in 159 games over his first three pro seasons.
Peraza played for three minor-league teams this past year, including Hudson Valley, Somerset, and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Altogether, he hit an outstanding .297 with 18 homers, 58 RBIs, and 38 stolen bases. He spent the majority of his time in AA Somerset, hitting .294 with 12 homers and 40 RBIs.
As a plus defender with obvious offensive capabilities, the Yankees would hate to pass on him as a potential long-term solution in the infield. However, it seems as Volpe has a slight edge, which could make Peraza expendable.
Going from an unranked prospect to top six by the end of 2019, the rise of Oswald has been spectacular. It is always nice to see prospects that improve year over year, which might be another sign of the Yankees’ confidence in him.
Another unique statistic revolves around his exit velocity, which finished as high as 110 mph off the bat, a solid number considering he is just 6-feet tall and weighs 185 pounds.