The Yankees might not have the confidence in Oswald Peraza to hold down an infield spot for the future, and with DJ LeMahieu as the likely starter, he’ll have to operate off the bench to open the year. Interest in Gio Urshela could also suggest that the Bronx Bombers are shopping for potential upgrades over the slick-fielding shortstop, and could indicate a potential trade is on the horizon. Peraza is out of MiLB options, meaning that the Yankees can’t send him down without placing him on waivers where a team would almost certainly claim him for free.
Farhan Zaidi, who is the President of Baseball Operations for the San Francisco Giants, has spoken publicly about wanting to find young athletic players at shortstop and centerfield, and with reports coming out that they could deal young pitching this winter, the Yankees and Giants could be a match on a deal for Oswald Peraza.
The Yankees And Giants Could Both Fill Needs a Deal
Oswald Peraza isn’t going to get much run with the Yankees next season as a starter barring some injuries, but the team seems to have built-in options in place as insurance at third already. Oswaldo Cabrera also struggled last season but can play third base, and their aforementioned interest in Gio Urshela could indicate that they have plans to add another infielder to the mix. Peraza wouldn’t get to accumulate much value off of the bench and teams would only get a limited look at him in that kind of role, but the San Francisco Giants could get much more use out of him.
While Marco Luciano is a former top-100 prospect as well, the right-handed infielder has struggled to develop much of a hit tool and isn’t seen as the team’s primary option as a starting shortstop. Peraza immediately brings a defensive-minded shortstop which the Giants could use after the departure of long-time shortstop Brandon Crawford, who regressed on both sides of the ball last season. The surplus of pitching depth for the Giants could allow them to match up well with the Yankees in a potential deal, as Peraza checks off a lot of the boxes that the Giants are looking for.
“We’re gonna try to advance our goal at the start of the offseason, which was really to try to improve our athleticism on our position player side… particularly at shortstop and center field…When you’re looking at premium defensive positions you usually want guys who are in their twenties, the younger guys who still have all their speed and athleticism”
– Farhan Zaidi
Speed and defense are strong suits for Oswald Peraza, as he ranks in the 84th Percentile in Sprint Speed and 74th Percentile in Arm Strength. His physical tools are excellent and perhaps with extended playing time, the Giants could get him to play closer to his projections in 2024. According to Steamer, he’s projected with a 97 wRC+ and a 2.3 fWAR per 600 Plate Appearances, and that would give a jolt to the Giants infield as he acts as a stabilizing presence at a premier defensive position.
As for the Yankees, an arm that could interest them is right-hander Mason Black, who has a four-pitch mix with solid command over his entire arsenal. He has two different kinds of fastballs in a four-seamer and sinker alongside two different sliders with a sweeper and gyro slider, and that allows him to handle both left-handed and right-handed batters. Black releases from a lower slot which allows for his four-seam fastball to play up in the strike zone despite having a below-average vertical ride.
On the surface, his numbers in Triple-A were subpar, but that leaves out the context of how run-heavy the Pacific Coast League was this past season. For example, despite walking 12% of batters, the 24-year-old right-hander posted an above-average walk rate for the level, and the average ERA was 5.70, making his 3.86 ERA even more fantastic. When adjusting for the league environment, his ERA+ was 132, which means that his ERA was 32% better than the league average. This past season, MLB pitchers with a similar ERA+ were Logan Webb (130), Merrill Kelly (132), and Kevin Gausman (134).
His Stuff+ was above average (104.2) and he also displayed an ability to rack up strikeouts as well with 72 in just 60.2 innings, and the Yankees are in a spot where they need starting pitching depth. Mason Black is entering his age-24 season and could be MLB-ready as soon as Opening Day, serving a similar role to Jhony Brito who was able to spot start and also dominate in the bullpen. His pitch repertoire is deep and he’s able to mix in his entire arsenal well depending on when he needs it:
- FF (38.1%)
- ST (25.5%)
- SL (21.8%)
- SI (13.3%)
- CH (1.2%)
Adding an arm who hasn’t been placed on the 40-man roster also means that he still has all three of his MiLB options and the Yankees can add him on when they need him. Injuries are a constant with the Yankees, and having depth is important, especially given their lack of an established fifth starter (for now). Mason Black isn’t a top-100 prospect or a pitcher who immediately slots into the middle of your rotation, but he brings upside and replenishes some lost depth after the trades for Juan Soto, Alex Verdugo, and Trent Grisham.
For the San Francisco Giants, they find the athletic and defensively-minded shortstop they’re looking for, and Oswald Peraza has plenty of years of control as well. The infielder may not be an established MLB starter, but his glove and speed give him a higher floor at shortstop because of how hard it is to find defense there, and his bat will have time to develop in a full-time role. His versatility around the infield also allows for him to play both 2B and 3B if needed, and with how much the Giants like to platoon, this could give them a utility infielder that can fit whatever lineup they run out.
The Yankees add much-needed pitching and another option to make spot starts if need be, and it clears up a roster spot in case they choose to make an upgrade on the bench. Both teams match up well in a perspective trade, and I believe they’d both be happy with the players they get.