Reds Jose Peraza: Could fantasy value rise as full time SS in 2018?

Jose Peraza had an up and down season for the Reds in 2017. But now as potentially their full-time SS, could his fantasy value rise next season?

The Reds did not have a banner season in 2017, yet they do have plenty of intriguing players. Jose Peraza is one, as he has the skill set to be a valuable fantasy asset, but has not shown the ceiling that some scouts thought he could reach.

But, could his fantasy value rise if he becomes the everyday SS for the Reds in 2018?

Peraza posted a .259/5 HR/37 RBI/23 SB/50 R/.622 OPS line over 143 games. He was decent over the first half, .254/4 HR/26 RBI/15 SB/.612 OPS. But, picked things up over the second part of the season, .268/1 HR/11 RBI/8 SB/.630 OPS.

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He also spent most of the season batting in the seven hole, which hindered his counting stats. With his skill set, along with BIlly Hamilton and Joey Votto, one would think that Peraza could build a solid seasonal line if allowed to stay near atop the order.

Unlike Hamilton, Peraza does not have the glaring swing and miss aspect of his game. Peraza made contact at an 85% rate and struck out only 70 times while only walking 20 times. He is the definition of a contact hitter, yet did square the ball up as well.

He finished the season with 22% LD, 47% GB, 31% FB, 52% Med and 21% Hard contact rates. His AVG should be higher than the .259 clip he posted, his .293 BABIP is well lower than what his speed offers, so he should see his AVG jump in 2018.

Peraza looks to be headed to being the Reds’ starting SS heading into next season as Zach Cozart is a free agent and will have plenty of suitors. Scooter Gennett was a revelation in 2017 and can man second base, and the team lacks much more besides Peraza and Scooter in terms of MI depth.

Peraza’s skill bodes well as an SS selection, as the talent pool is thinner and he can provide a weekly SB advantage that most other SS do not.

Peraza’s value is tied to his speed, AVG and counting stats. The AVG will bounce back in 2018 as the contact rates, and his luck will improve. In terms of his speed, being on base more will surely allow him to run more. He was caught eight times last season, so if his AVG climbs he should be able to get to the 30 SB plateau.

The Reds were more than willing to allow Hamilton to bat leadoff last season, and his OBP is worse than Peraza’s. He lacks the blazing SB potential Hamilton brings, but he gets on base more which the team needs in front of Votto, especially when/if Cozart departs.

Next: Fantasy Baseball 2018: Is Robbie Ray top-10 worthy?

Peraza carried sleeper and breakout status heading into the 2017 season. While he did not completely break out for the Reds, his skill set and contact rates speak to more success moving forward. Fantasy owners could get a .265/5 HR/50 RBI/30 SB/.700 OPS line for nothing more than a late-round post-hype selection in 2018.

Do not forget about him.

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