3 Spring Training cuts who will help the Yankees this season

1. Oswald Peraza

Peraza entered Spring Training as the favorite to win the team’s starting shortstop job but lost out to Anthony Volpe in the high-profile battle. That doesn’t mean he’ll be in Scranton very long. Peraza showed he can contribute as a major leaguer during his late-season callup last season.

In particular, Peraza’s defensive acumen should earn him a return ticket to the Bronx relatively soon. Any injury in the infield will give him a chance to cement his spot on the major league roster.

If Peraza gets off to a nice start with the bat in AAA it could force Cashman’s hand to make a trade to clear a path for him to play every day in the Bronx. His defense is far superior to Gleyber Torres. It’s easy to envision a scenario where Torres is dealt to give way to a Peraza-Volpe middle infield.

The Yankees will field plenty of trade calls on Peraza, but Cashman will need to be blown away if he’s going to offload a potential Gold Glove shortstop. He may not have Volpe’s star potential with the bat, but he projects as an above-average starter at a premium position. Yankees fans in Scranton hoping to see Peraza in person shouldn’t wait too long to make their way to the ballpark. He’ll be back with the big league club sooner, rather than later.