Yankees pitching for Iverson Pereira, Oswald Peraza, sources say: What that means for New York’s future

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The New York Yankees have made some moves as they face the reality of a disappointing 2023 season. At 60-64, they finished last in the American League East, nine games behind the third and last place Wild Cards. Only 38 games remain in the regular season.

So, they made three promotions aimed at adding some juice to the Bronx and looking forward to 2024. They moved prospects Iverson Pereira, outfielder, and Oswald Peraza, player, to the major league team, according to team sources. Football player Jason Dominguez, nicknamed “The Martian,” is headed to Triple A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, a source on the team said.

Peraza, 23, is rated the Yankees’ No. 2 prospect this season, according to the athleteKeith Low. Many expected the Yankees to be a big-league starter on Opening Day, but big prospect Anthony Volpe beat him to the position in a spring training contest that also included Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Peraza has played sparingly in the major leagues this season, making 64 appearances. At Triple A, he hit . 268 with 14 homers, 36 RBIs, and . 846 OPS in 63 games. He’s a solid defender with a pop.

Pereira, 22, is the 51st prospect in the game, according to Lau’s update on the Top 60 Midseason Prospects. Between Double-A Somerset and Triple-A, he hit . 300 with 18 homers, 64 RBIs, and a 0.921 OPS in 81 games.

Law wrote: “He’s an above-average center field defender who can sprint and show electric bat speed that really produces traction, with 11 players so far this year in 55 games after reaching 14 last year in nearly twice the playing time.” ” in July. “He’s added some power even since last year and can drive the ball the other way, although almost all of his home runs have been to the draw side.”

Dominguez, 20, has always been one of the hottest prospects in the game. Lau placed him 27th overall. The Yankees gave him a record signing bonus of $5.1 million as a 16-year-old in 2019 outside of the Dominican Republic. At Double A, he hit . 254 with 15 home runs, 66 RBIs, and . 781 OPS in 109 games. “(He) still lights as well as power, wields extra power, plays solid defense or better at center, and controls territory well for his age,” Law wrote.

What does this mean for the rest of the New York season

At this point, the Yankees know the score. Fangraphs gives them a 0.5 percent chance of making the playoffs. On Saturday, owner Hal Steinbrenner, general manager Brian Cashman and manager Aaron Boone met to discuss the team’s status and outlook, and talked about prospects that should emerge in the majors the rest of the way. Pereira and Peraza were the obvious choices.

There’s also a chance he’ll catch potential Austin Wells, ranked No. 8 in the system, who could be promoted on September 1 when active rosters expand to 28 players from 26. Pereira and Peraza will play basically every day as they learn the ropes in the big leagues. It’s a shocking spot the Yankees found themselves in. The team was the favorite to win the AL East title after reaching the AL Championship Series (and being swept by the Astros) last year. now? They are jostling. – cutie

What does that mean for 2024

The Yankees begin testing whether Peraza and Pereira should be on the Opening Day roster for 2024. For Pereira, there could be two openings in the field next season, with quarterback Harrison Bader a free agent this offseason. Pereira will likely slide into left field territory for the rest of the season as it has been a revolving door after General Manager Cashman failed to properly handle the situation in the winter. If Pereira excels, he will clearly have a chance to win one of the overseas positions for next season. Center field is Pereira’s natural position but the Yankees have split his Double A and Triple A appearances roughly evenly on all three spots, so there is some relief in the corners.

As for Peraza, his view of 2024 to be an everyday player seems a little murky given the current openings. If the Yankees move Gleiber Torres out for the offseason, that would obviously give Peraza and Volpe a chance to be the team’s midfield combination. If the Yankees decide that DJ LeMahieu is no longer an everyday player, Peraza could split with him at third base, as Josh Donaldson is not expected to return next season. But this opportunity against Peraza is the biggest he’s had in the limited major league time he’s had. – Kirchner

What does that mean for Dominguez?

It’s not out of the question that Dominguez would get a chance in spring training in 2024 to be on a major league roster. That’s how Volpe worked, who only played 22 games at Triple A before landing a short-term job with the Yankees. Domínguez earned his promotion based on merit. Over his last 42 games, he hit .333 with five home runs, 29 RBI and .895 OPS. He also stole 19 bases. Domínguez has twice played for the MLB All-Star Futures Game. – cutie

The expected lineup with Pereira, Peraza

There remains uncertainty about Anthony Rizzo’s availability for the rest of the season. If the Yankees officially shut out Rizzo, LeMahieu can play first base with Peraza grabbing third base. It would be ideal for the Yankees if Peraza also played second base and shortstop on days when Jeleber Torres or Volpe needed a day off. But there is clearly a chance for Peraza to play every day for the rest of the season, especially if Rizzo is left out.

With that said, here’s a look at what the potential lineup could look like with both Peraza and Pereira in the lineup:

LeMahieu 1B
Judge R.F
Torres 2b
stanton d
Bader CF
Pereira Lv
Volpi SS
Peraza 3 b
Rortvedt / Higashioka C – Kirchner

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(Photo: Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via AP Images)