With the recent news of Howie Kendrick being moved to the 15 day DL for the Los Angeles Dodgers, many fans probably had their fingers crossed in anticipation of seeing Corey Seager getting called-up for his Major League debut in 2015.
The shortstop is one of the most touted prospects in the game and certainly would be capable of playing second base in Los Angeles, but the Dodgers seem hell bent on riding out Jimmy Rollins‘ contract for the remainder of the season and not calling on Seager until later in the season — possibly when rosters expand on September 1 — if at all.
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After introducing the baseball world to rookie Joc Pederson‘s Thor-like power stroke in 2015, the Dodgers’ front office will likely wait until 2016 to spoil Seager’s rookie status in hopes that he can reciprocate Pederson’s success and grab a number of votes in National League Rookie of the Year voting. So right now, while Kendrick ails from a strained left hamstring, the Dodgers will turn to prospect Jose Peraza.
Peraza was acquired in the same trade that saw Mat Latos land in L.A. and sent 30-year-old Cuban Hector Olivera to the Atlanta Braves. Known for his speed, the right-handed hitting second baseman had stolen 86 bases over 196 contests dating back to High-A ball in 2014.
Hitting a solid .294/.318/.379 with Triple-A Gwinnett before the trade, the Venezeulan’s game and position of play will probably remind a lot of baseball fans of fellow countryman Jose Altuve. Not quite as compact as Altuve at 6-foot and 180 lbs, Peraza turned only 21 in April. He hit only nine home runs through his minor league career, so his swing isn’t as compact and powerful as Altuve’s, who has set a personal best this season with nine round trippers and counting.
Scouts’ consensus grades Peraza as the second best prospect at second base in the game behind Boston’s Yoan Moncada. It’s kind of an odd representation, because Moncada is only a year younger than Peraza but until June 20 for the Greenville Drive in Single-A was hitting as low as .200. Moncada currently has boosted his BA to .286 and his six home runs plus 33 stolen bases make him a power and contact hitting threat, but Peraza did progress very quickly through the minors and that should not be overlooked.
Not quite the five-tool prospect that Moncada may one day become, Peraza has plus contact, plus speed and a plus glove. He is in essence, the prototypical second baseman that could one day hit leadoff in a Major League lineup.
Kendrick is expected to miss significant time, so Dodgers fans should get a good glimpse at the future of their club with players like Pederson, Peraza, and Yasiel Puig in place as the clock counts down the long awaited arrival of Corey Seager, who is hitting .361 with six RBI over his last 10 games for Oklahoma City.
Jose Peraza batted second in Monday evening’s lineup and went 1-for-4 with a triple, walk and a strikeout in his big league debut wearing Dodger blue.
Next: Ross, Rivero shining after promotions from Triple-A Syracuse