Yankees’ Peraza Stuck in Limbo as Trade Possibilities Emerge
Oswald Peraza can’t catch a break with the Yankees.
Once a slam-dunk Top 100 MLB prospect, Peraza showed promise during his late 2022 debut. But everything changed when Anthony Volpe won the starting shortstop job in 2023 spring training. Since then, Peraza’s been unable to secure a consistent role in the Bronx.
The 24-year-old currently serves as New York’s platoon third baseman, but even that limited role is in jeopardy. D.J. LeMahieu’s return from the injured list looms large, potentially leaving Peraza without a spot. It’s becoming increasingly clear the Yankees would consider moving him in the right deal.
So who might be interested?
Empire Sports Media’s Ryan Garcia proposed a potential trade that would send Peraza to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for right-handed pitcher Mason Black. The 25-year-old Black is currently working at the Giants’ Triple-A affiliate.
“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,” Garcia wrote.
“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.”
Black got his first taste of the majors last season, though the results weren’t pretty. He posted a 6.36 ERA across 36 1/3 innings in nine appearances with San Francisco. His Triple-A performance this year looks more promising – he’s racked up 19 strikeouts while allowing just four earned runs in 12 innings.
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The timing might be right for both sides. The Yankees need pitching depth after their offseason moves, while the Giants could use infield help. But there’s a legitimate question about Peraza’s current trade value. Have the Yankees diminished his worth by keeping him in roster limbo for so long?
What makes this particularly interesting is that San Francisco has their own version of Peraza in Marco Luciano – another former top prospect who’s struggled to establish himself at the major league level. The Giants might decide they already have enough young infielders trying to figure it out.
For Peraza, a change of scenery and consistent playing time could be exactly what he needs to finally tap into the potential that once made him such a highly-regarded prospect.
