Cincinnati Reds Top Prospect Report - Jose Peraza
How did the Cincinnati Reds’ top prospects do during the 2016 season?
While the Cincinnati Reds struggled to a 68-94 record, there is plenty of reason for hope in the future. The team is loaded with talented prospects across all of their minor-league teams, and many of those players started off with promising starts in their careers.
Let’s take a look at how the Reds’ top 10 prospects (per MLB Pipeline at the start of the season) performed as we head into the offseason.
Jose Peraza (OF/INF)
2016 Stats (MLB/Triple-A):
Cincinnati: .324/.354/.411, 8 2B, 3 HR, 25 RBI, 7 BB, 33 K, 21 SB
Louisvile: .281/.333/.375, 15 2B, 2 HR, 21 RBI, 21 BB, 43 K, 10 SB
Take a good hard look at those lines. Jose Peraza was demonstrably better in Cincinnati than he was in Louisville. He played one more game in Cincinnati then he did in Louisville. Better batting average, OBP, slugging percentage, and more steals means better results.
While Peraza bounced a little bit on the field in Louisville, he played essentially everyday at shortstop. He also played the most games in Cincinnati at short, but he bounced around more. In 2017 he could play shortstop or move around, depending on what happens to Zack Cozart. Cozart isn’t likely to go anywhere, but you never know with the Reds.
Peraza could become the starter at whatever position the Reds see the worst spring out of in 2017.
Jose Peraza is a jack of most positions. If no one falters in spring, Peraza could become the first ever 20-7 player. That would be someone to start 20 games at each of 7 different positions.
The other option that could happen is the trading of Brandon Phillips combined with a lackluster spring by Dilson Herrera of the Jay Bruce deal and Tony Renda of the Aroldis Chapman deal and Peraza could be playing second and batting fourth. The Reds have a line-up issue with the movement of Phillips. They have left him in the heart of the order and few people have had a chance to train to replace him.
Herrera’s chance will come first at replacing Phillips with 15 home run potential, but Peraza’s chance will follow immediately after. Peraza could also be the replacement for Cozart at short. Really, Peraza is just waiting for a starter to move on from the Reds.
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Peraza was the main return in the Todd Frazier deal. The Reds’ fans didn’t know what to make of him at first. So far it appears that he is going to be a good player. The Reds just have to figure where he will play and when he will become an everyday starter.
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