Cincinnati Reds Jose Peraza heads to Venezuela to regroup

After a season when Jose Peraza lost his starting position for the Cincinnati Reds, he headed to Venezuela.

Jose Peraza is a verified MLB player for the Cincinnati Reds at this point in his career.  He is one of four position players on his team, Magallanes, on a forty man roster of an MLB team.  The only other somewhat big name among the position players is Andres Blanco of the Philadephia Phillies.

Ironically, former Reds pitcher John Lamb is on the same team.  Lamb is a now a member of the Los Angeles Angels organization.  The Tampa Bay Rays bought his contract, but eventually cut him loose,

Lamb is 1-0 with an ERA of 3.12.  Unfortunately, he has only pitched 8 ⅔ innings over two starts.  Some of that is from allowing five walks.

Ismael Guillon, who is currently in the Reds system, is also on the team.  He flirted with a roster spot out of spring training, but didn’t quite make it.  Now he is off of the forty man roster.

Want your voice heard? Join the Blog Red Machine team!

Write for us!

Guillon has pitched in ten games primarily as a lefty specialist.  He has only collected 7 ⅓ innings pitched.  Guillon has allowed seven hits and two walks.

Jose Peraza has shown the Cincinnati Reds something different in Venezuela.

More from Reds News

• Reds vs. White Sox: Pitching preview, prediction, and more
• Reds: Reiver Sanmartin adds another twist to offseason roster construction
• Reds: Signing Tyler Mahle to a contract extension should be a top priority
• Reds: Reiver Sanmartin should get first major league start vs Pirates
• Reds should unquestionably bring Wade Miley back in 2022

Peraza is a shortstop in Venezuela.  He is job sharing with other prospects.  He is only playing in about half of the games,

Aside from playing short, the Reds are also happy with Peraza’s offensive output.  He is batting .316 with an OBP of .350.  His OPS is also respectable at .745.

Peraza has a steal and eight runs scored in nine games.  He doesn’t have a home run, but he does have four RBIs to go with a double and a triple.  Peraza has also only struck out twice.

This is the Peraza that the Reds saw the second half of 2016 and they thought that they were getting in 2017.  Instead they got a player that batted like a back-up infielder.  Nothing wrong with that, but it isn’t who the Reds thought their Opening Day second baseman was in 2017.

Next: The Reds should test the Raisel Iglesias market

That Peraza left nearly immediately for winter ball after the end of the regular season is a good time for the Reds’ potential shortstop.  The Reds, however, need to know that Peraza can be the man at short or they need to re-sign Zack Cozart for one more year.  In any case, Peraza is where he needs to be and where the Reds need him to be.