The Yankees have been patient with Oswald Peraza. Maybe too patient. Once a top-five prospect in the organization, Peraza now looks like a player without a role — or a future — in the Bronx.
He’s had his chances. He’s had the support. But now, it might be time to move on.
Still Waiting for the Bat to Wake Up
The defensive skills have never been in question. Peraza has smooth hands, quick feet, and can play across the infield with ease. But that’s not enough anymore — not when offense continues to trend up around the league, and not when you’ve got utility players with more complete skill sets vying for roster spots.
This spring has been especially rough. In 18 games, Peraza is hitting just .178/.245/.200. He hasn’t homered. He’s barely driving the ball — his .022 isolated power is the definition of weak contact. With a 20 wRC+, he’s been 80 percent below league-average production in a sample filled with backup arms and fringe pitchers.
It’s not just spring either. In 74 career MLB games, Peraza is slashing .216/.298/.315. The power has never shown up, and his bat has gone quiet more often than not.
At this point, he’s a glove-first utility man who can’t hit. And if that’s what the Yankees are going to carry on their bench, they might as well pivot to someone with a better bat.
Pablo Reyes Deserves a Real Look
While Peraza struggles to put the ball in play with any authority, Pablo Reyes is quietly earning attention. The 31-year-old has played multiple infield and outfield spots and is hitting .297/.426/.405 across 16 spring games.
He’s walking at a 19.1% clip and has a 127 wRC+ this spring, giving the Yankees a solid contact hitter with far more offensive value than Peraza. He won’t wow anyone with power, but he’ll give you smart at-bats and defensive versatility.
Reyes feels like a cleaner fit for a roster that could use more consistent contact and fewer strikeouts off the bench.
Alternatives Are Out There
If the Yankees want defense-first infield depth, they could’ve signed someone like José Iglesias to a minor league deal — at least he’s coming off a strong offensive year with the Mets. Instead, they’ve stuck with Peraza out of loyalty to potential that never bloomed.
With the end of spring training approaching, teams will be cutting fringe players loose. That’s when a more serviceable bat-and-glove combo might hit the market. The Yankees would be wise to scan the waiver wire and consider flipping Peraza for a lottery ticket in another system.
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Sometimes, it’s just about fit. Peraza may still have the tools to develop into a serviceable major leaguer. But the Yankees have seen enough. He’s already lost the third base job to Oswaldo Cabrera — a player who himself entered spring with questions about his offensive ceiling.
For a team trying to win now, carrying a non-factor bat on the bench just doesn’t make sense anymore. Peraza needs a fresh start. The Yankees need to cut bait.