21 August 2023
Short on options and low on time, the Yankees are promoting two of their top prospects.
The team will add outfielder Everson Pereira and infielder Oswald Peraza to the major league roster before starting a series with the Washington Nationals on Tuesday, according to multiple reports.
Friday marked the first day that teams can call prospects up without them accruing 45 days of major league service time and therefore losing rookie eligibility in 2024.
The 22-year-old Pereira is considered the Yankees’ third-best prospect, according to MLB.com. The Venezuelan native, in the organization since he was 17, ranks 80th in all of baseball.
Pereira has enjoyed a stellar minor league season split between Double-A and Triple-A. In 81 total games, the right-handed hitter is slashing .300/.373/.548 with 18 home runs, 64 RBI and 11 stolen bases. He’s been hitting .312/.386/.551 with eight homers and 33 RBI over 35 games since joining the Triple-A RailRiders.
A hard-hitting Pereira has walked less since his promotion to Triple-A, as his walk rate has dropped from 10.3% to 8.2%. His strikeout rate, meanwhile, has dropped a bit from 29.2% to 27.8%, though that is still a high clip.
Pereira has played all three outfield positions this season without making an error, though the Yankees still view his defense as a work in progress. Left field has been an issue for the Bombers on both sides of the ball; expect Pereira to spend most of his time there.
Peraza, who entered the season as the Yankees’ No. 3 prospect, has had some time at the MLB level, however, consistent playing time was hard to come by this season. The 23-year-old slashed .173/.328/.192 during 19 games in the Bronx this season.
The results have been better at Triple-A slashing .268/.357/.479 with 14 homers and 36 RBI in 63 games for the RailRiders.
The Yankees’ decided to promote two of their top youngsters following a 2-10 stretch that saw the team’s record fall below .500. The Yanks spent the last 18 innings of their most recent road trip getting shutout by the Braves.
With 41 games left in the season, the Yankees are now 9 games out of the final wild card spot, which the Seattle Mariners occupy with division rival Blue Jays just a half-game behind. The Red Sox (3 GB) also lead the Yankees in the standings, making this past weekend’s three-game sweep the potential final nail in the Yankees’ coffin this season.
With the Yankees failing to gain ground over the weekend, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the team add more youth to its roster. If the standings remain the way they are, the organization will have to start looking at other potential options for 2024.
The two promotions also will send No. 2 prospect Jasson Dominguez to Triple-A, according to The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty. The Martian has been on a tear since July 1 slashing .333/.401/.494 with five homers and 29 RBI in 42 games. Dominguez is now one step closer to the majors.
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