Over the last calendar year, representing 580 plate appearances, Reds shortstop Jose Peraza has hit .287/.339/.366 with 151 hits, 18 doubles and 3 triples, 72 runs scored and 46 RBI. He has stolen 25 bases (and was caught stealing 5 times).
Peraza is never going to be Barry Larkin at the plate (and he may never be an above-average hitter at all). He has shown very little power, and his walk rate (6.4%) is still below average. His strikeout rate (11.0%), however, is roughly half the league average for 2018. His OBP is well above the league-wide average OBP of .318.
Peraza’s wRC+ over that span is 90, which means he has been a below-average hitter. In 2018 alone, his wRC+ is 97. The National League average wRC+ for a shortstop thus far in 2018 is 89.
Jose Peraza just celebrated his 24th birthday.
Is this article in response to some or all of the negative comments about Peraza from the game recap?
How are we supposed to feel about him? He’s a below average hitter overall but above average for a shortstop. Seems kinda conflicting.
Are you saying that over the last calendar year (580 pa’s) is enough of a sample size that we can start believing he’s as good as his numbers this year suggest?
This had nothing to do with any comments. I just know that Peraza had been improved in the second half of last season, so I wanted to see what he had done over the last year. When I saw what those numbers looked like, I thought they’d be interesting enough to post.
Make your own judgments about sample size. I just wanted to se what he had done in (roughly) a full season of at-bats.
Let’s give a couple of considerations to the trade of Todd Frazier for
Scott Schebler
Jose Peraza
Brandon Dixon
Frazier presently is on the DL with the Mets. Since he was traded, his statistics are actually pretty lousy. Sure, everybody liked Todd, but he has declined quite a bit as a player.
Schebler hit over 30 hr’s last year. This year, he is batting .278 after being hurt most of the first month.
Peraza is the starting SS for the Reds, and batting 0.280-something. Blake Trahan (high draft SS) has been a bust. Calten Daal has been injured and may never make it to the majors. The Reds had no one else ready.
Brandon Dixon is knocking at the door at AAA. He did get a call up earlier this year, and did alright. I think he would be a good ML hitter if he was given the chance to play.
This trade was a win. Peraza is NOT the reason the Reds have had a losing record that last few years. It’s their starting pitching.
But c’mon. Let’s knock the guy some more, because it’s easy pickins’.
I agree with that thought. Over the first two months of the year I criticized Peraza probably as much as anyone but if he continues on this pace then I see no need to trade for a SS. There is still a lot of weak contact but I see a lot more line drives now than before. Living in Virginia I can only watch on TV and I think it is a lot harder most of the time to tell about exit velocity off the bat but it does appear he is hitting the ball harder and still getting his fair share of bloop hits. I still don’t think he will be an above average defensive shortstop but as of right now one black hole in the lineup seems to have filled itself. Even Billy has hit better however I sill think he has a lot of weak contact, perhaps the law of averages is catching up.
Remember, as you noted above, a league-average hitter at short is ABOVE average for his position. According to FanGraphs, Peraza is on pace to be worth about 3 WAR this year. An average player is worth 2 WAR.
The average major leaguer is 2 WAR. Peraza is going to be better than that. It may be that – this year – there are a lot of above average shortstops. That doesn’t make him not above average.
I am happy with Peraza at short. he is a very hard worker and also is very durable and versatile. his defense has improved and base running has improved. I think his walks and on base percentage will improve as well.
he is becoming a pretty good clutch hitter as well. he is no Barry Larkin but could be more like Concepcion.
Before the start of the season I posted (under my then moniker of SHOWOPS) something to the effect that I would tell Peraza he was the starting SS and not to look over his shoulder, giving him half the season to show what he could do without worrying about that, akin to the approach that worked well for Schebler when he was struggling after a call-up from Louisville.
You’re welcome.
Aside from that tongue-in-cheek comment, adding to the great notes above on being only 24 years old and having been an above-average performer at SS, he is recognized for being a hard-worker dedicated to getting better. The Reds are in much better shape than thought before the season started.
I like that comment way better than the one you made in this thread where you wished Peraza would get injured!
https://redlegnation.com/2018/06/20/how-long-is-jose-perazas-leash/
Check out the ballpark adjustments for 2018. You might be surprised to see where GBAP falls in the difficulty rating. GBAP sits at #11 and Wriggley at #9. I’ll give you Oakland (#29).
I like Peraza at SS and I love him at SS with a manager and GM who would transition him to super sub role (he’d be a great Zobrist type) if/when the time comes.
Happy for him and the front office  many many pundits have criticized his being the focus of efforts by the Reds to acquire him.
What? How in the world do you conclude that Peraza could be a Zobrist type? Zobrist has always been able to hit, and has never been what one would call a soft hitter.
I acknowledge a clarification is warranted. My definition of a Zobrist type is as follows:
Zobrist type: noun. Any MLB caliber position player who has positional flexibility, to include IF and OF spots, who can provide value to his team at more than one spot, above replacement level.
Note my definition doesn’t require offensive value, just value in general.
But I don’t think Peraza can provide above replacement level value to a team at multiple spots. To be above replacement level, Peraza has to play SS.
I am happy with Perza at SS for the foreseeable future.
2017 Peraza i completely agree. However let’s watch him develop. He’s not done and his ISO may start to inch up.
As for value at other positions, it certainly won’t be due to fielding or baserunning. Peraza is a ball player who could, like Duval for example, learn and even excel at a new position defensively with the aforementioned transition.
Should he be a league average hitter for approximately the next 7 years, I find he could generate enough defensively at more than 1 position to make him a flexible commodity on a winning baseball team, should said baseball team have an Alex Rodriguez phenom in AAA, Suarez at 3B and senzel at 2B.
Zobrist was 28 years old when he got a full season in. Peraza could easily replicate his numbers if he keeps improving. If not surpass them.
To my eye test, his growing confidence is noticeable – especially when down in the count – which gives me hope that he will continue to improve as he matures. Riggleman mentioned his walk rate as something he needs to continue to work on. Nothing new, but it was good to hear from Reds manager. #cloggingbasesworks
I have more confidence changing a player who makes good contact on pitches outside the strike zone then I do with a player who takes wild swings at balls outside of the zone. Wild swings and misses appear to come from getting fooled. For Peraza, it doesn’t seem that he is as much fooled by pitches but is just being over aggressive.
Not bad for the 24 year old, which means he can be better than this…hopefully.
The numbers say he has improved and anything above league average OBP is a really good thing for this offense or any offense.He should have been given this year to see what he could do and I fully expect he will be the starting guy at short next year.We will see where he ends up and I expect it to be good.I am in a wait and see place with all young players especially pitchers and Peraza in 2019 will be entering his 3rd full year in the big leagues at 25 years of age.
Simple comments and questions: 1 – He’s likely to improve, if only slightly, perhaps more than that. If not, is there still a role for him? 2 – if he’s the worst offensive player in the lineup, they’re close to the playoffs, and certainly a wild card contender. What need they do to make this so?
I agree with jreis that a better comp would be with Concepcion. Compare Davey’s numbers at that age and younger. That said, he does need to look over his shoulder because the Reds have a fine problem with six or seven people who can play second who are very good prospects. There will have to be spillover onto SS and the outfield, but there are very good outfield prospects in the wings also. It will be interesting to see how it pans out in 2019 and 2020.
I like the way Peraza doesn’t strike out a lot and he protects the plate with two strikes. His eye has improved with a few more walks although I think he remains basically a free-swinging hitter. Peraza has youth on his side and I hope he continues to improve.
I have championed Peraza on this site since his arrival. It took you guys long enough to get on board !!!!
Didn’t realize Wrigley was a huge park. Lol