In the heat of spring training, New York Yankees’ former top prospect, Oswald Peraza, appeared to be on the ropes. Competing for the open spot at third base, Peraza quickly fell behind. With no remaining Minor-League options, he would either make the team out of spring training or be DFA’d.
Towards Opening Day, the starting third base job fell to Oswaldo Cabrera who performed exceptionally well. But despite posting a lackluster .160 batting average with only one extra-base hit this spring, Peraza made the roster due to DJ LeMahieu’s injury.
Then Peraza got off to a great start as the Yankees’ backup infielder. But like in previous years, his performance degenerated into yet another slump. Entering Thursday, he is 5-23 with one home run and only one walk. When DJ LeMahieu returns, it doesn’t appear the Yankees will have any other option but to DFA their once promising infielder, something that is never a satisfying choice.
However, we might not need to wait that long to find out what happens to Peraza. One of the Yankees top 30 prospects is off to a scorching start in Triple-A and could be on pace to take third base away from Cabrera and send Peraza on the waiver wire.
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Jorbit Vivas appears ready to make the jump for the Yankees
Yankees’ No. 20 prospect, Jorbit Vivas, has broken out in Triple-A, slashing .328/.414/.500/.914 with two home runs and two stolen bases in 58 at-bats. Vivas is known for his remarkable contact hitting skills and his keen eye at the plate. His strikeout and walk rates are often very similar with his walk totals sometimes exceeding that of his strikeouts. For instance, this season, he has drawn nine walks compared to a mere four punchouts. When combining his bat-to-ball skills with his plate discipline, Vivas has true on-base potential.
In March of 2024, Vivas was hit by a pitch that broke his orbital bone around his left eye. After returning, he struggled posting a .225 batting average on the year. But this past spring, he set out to prove last year’s stats were a one-time injury-related event. Vivas went 11-26 in spring training while competing for third base. He was overlooked for job, but now his bat has grown too hot to ignore.
Even though scouts believe his power isn’t a true weapon, Vivas’ two home runs on the season are more than both the Yankees’ current third base options have hit combined (Peraza hit one, Cabrera is yet to connect for his first home run). And the fact that Vivas is a switch-hitter also works in his favor, especially when batting left-handed in the Bronx. Power aside, it seems Vivas is outperforming both Cabrera and Peraza in a big way.
The one issue with Vivas is his defense. At third base, Vivas has committed more than his fair share of blunders (though he has improved) and his arm strength is not up to par when it comes to throwing across the diamond. Over his career, he has performed much better at second base than at the hot corner. Vivas’ promotion will likely depend on management’s willingness to try him at third since they have given the keystone to Jazz Chisholm Jr. Still, if he continues to hit at such an astonishing rate, we can expect to see him in the Majors sometime soon.