Oswald Peraza, the New York Yankees’ top prospect, broke his silence after losing the starting shortstop position to Anthony Volpe.
Oswald Peraza, regarded as one of the New York Yankees’ top prospects, has shown flashes of brilliance during his time in the minor leagues. He has a strong arm, good range, and quick feet, making him a natural fit at shortstop. Last season, in a short stint in the major league, Peraza left a good mark and got a much-needed opportunity in spring training to fight the shortstop battle.
The shortstop battle that broke out between Anthony Volpe, Oswald Peraza, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa, was eventually narrowed down to the top prospects as Isiah moved away with the utility role. The competition was fierce, but ultimately, Volpe emerged as the deserving winner, leaving Peraza to continue developing his skills in the minor leagues. Although later, Peraza spoke to the media and reacted to the decision as to why he did not qualify for the important role.
Oswald Peraza Concedes Defeat, Congratulates Anthony Volpe For Winning The Shortstop Battle
Sunday marked the end of the long-withstanding shortstop battle in the New York Yankees camp. Anthony Volpe, a young 21-year-old prospect with bare minimum minor league experience, grabbed the starter spot on the opening day roster. While Volpe celebrated the special moment with his family, his competitor, Oswald Peraza’s dreams shattered in pieces. Despite his experience and defensive ability, he got outperformed by Volpe in this spring training. Further, speaking to the media after the decision, Oswald gracefully conceded defeat.
Oswald Peraza congratulated Anthony Volpe for winning the cutthroat shortstop battle. He said Volpe’s results were good, and he deserved the spot. Peraza further added that the 21-year-old has a bright future lying ahead of him everybody, including him, saw his potential. Overall, Oswald had all good things to say about his peer and is not gearing up to wreak havoc on the minors. While he may have lost the battle for the starting job to Volpe, Peraza is still likely to have a bright future with the organization. He will continue to work on his game in the minors and could potentially earn a call-up to the majors at some point in the future.
What Led To Peraza’s Defeat In The Shortstop Battle?
For starters, Oswald Peraza missed a few games due to soreness in his leg. On the other hand, Anthony Volpe, who received equal opportunities, literally capitalized each one of them and stacked up impressive numbers. In 51 at-bats, Volpe scored .314 with 13 runs, 3 home runs, and 5 RBIs. Against this, Oswald scored .190 with 9 runs, 1 home run, and 1 RBI in 42 at-bats.
Naturally, Anthony made it almost impossible for the Yankees’ front office to overlook the stats. Furthermore, Volpe’s work ethic made him a fan favorite in the senior group of the camp. They unanimously backed him and vouched for his opening-day roster inclusion. Hence, it remained just writing on the wall for Oswald Peraza. He will have to move to the minors for the time being.
