Oswald Peraza Bio
Oswald Dair Peraza (born June 15, 2000) is a Venezuelan professional baseball infielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the New York Yankees. Peraza signed with the Yankees as an international free agent in 2016 and made his MLB debut in 2022, establishing himself as a versatile defender with a smooth left-handed swing.
Across his first three major league seasons, Peraza has split time between shortstop, second base, and third base, showing the kind of defensive flexibility that organizations value. His career arc has carried him from the Dominican Summer League to the upper minors and, eventually, to a full-time role in the big leagues with two different franchises.
Early Life and Background
Oswald Dair Peraza was born on June 15, 2000, in Venezuela, a country with a deep tradition of producing major league middle infielders. Growing up in a baseball-rich environment, Peraza developed his game on local diamonds before drawing the attention of international scouts as a teenager.
His defensive polish, line-drive bat, and mature approach at the plate made him one of the more talked-about Venezuelan prospects of his signing class. The New York Yankees ultimately signed him as an international free agent on July 2, 2016, launching his professional career at the age of 16.
Path to Baseball
Peraza began his professional journey in the Yankees’ Dominican Summer League affiliate in 2017, adjusting to the daily demands of pro ball as a teenager. That same year, he moved up to the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Yankees, where he continued to refine his defensive footwork and offensive approach.
In 2018, he joined the Pulaski Yankees of the Appalachian League, and in 2019 he moved through the Staten Island Yankees and Charleston RiverDogs, gradually climbing the organizational ladder. After the 2020 minor league season was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Yankees added Peraza to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft, signaling their belief in his long-term potential.
Oswald Peraza Career
Early Career (2017–2021)
Peraza spent his first four professional seasons working his way through the Yankees’ developmental pipeline, learning the rhythms of short-season and full-season minor league baseball. He showed steady improvement as a hitter while building a reputation as a reliable defender up the middle.
During 2021, he advanced through three affiliates, including the High-A Hudson Valley Renegades, the Double-A Somerset Patriots, and the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. His promotion to Triple-A marked the final step before his big league call-up the following season.
New York Yankees Breakthrough (2022)
Peraza returned to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to begin the 2022 season and produced one of his best minor league years, batting .259 with a .329 on-base percentage and a .448 slugging percentage across 386 at-bats. That performance earned him a promotion to the major leagues on September 1, 2022.
He wasted little time making an impact, hitting his first career home run on October 4, 2022, a solo shot off Texas Rangers starter Jon Gray. In 49 major league at-bats that September, Peraza hit .306/.404/.429 while playing 12 games at shortstop and four at second base, giving the Yankees a glimpse of the player they had been developing for years.
New York Yankees Tenure (2023–2025)
Peraza was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to start the 2023 season, but he returned to the majors on April 16 when Giancarlo Stanton went on the injured list. With Josh Donaldson also sidelined, the Yankees asked Peraza to learn third base on the fly, a position he had not previously played at any level.
He appeared in 52 games for the Yankees in 2023, hitting .191/.267/.272 with two home runs, 14 RBI, and four stolen bases, while splitting time between shortstop, second base, and third base. On March 9, 2024, the Yankees announced that Peraza would miss six to eight weeks with a subscapularis strain in his right shoulder, limiting him to just four games that season. In 2025, he made 71 appearances for New York, slashing .152/.212/.241 with three home runs, 13 RBI, and three stolen bases before being traded.
Los Angeles Angels Era (2025–Present)
On July 31, 2025, the Yankees traded Peraza to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for minor league pitcher Wilberson De Pena and international bonus pool money. The move gave him a fresh opportunity to reset his offensive game in a new organization.
In 35 games with the Angels to close the 2025 season, Peraza hit .186 with two home runs, seven RBI, and six stolen bases, providing a reminder of the speed element he can bring to a lineup. His defensive versatility continued to be a calling card as he settled into a utility role across the infield.
Driving Style and Strengths
Peraza’s game is built on defensive versatility, a contact-oriented left-handed swing, and above-average speed on the base paths. He has handled shortstop, second base, and third base in the majors, including learning third base in-season during 2023, and he has shown the patience to draw walks and the legs to swipe bases when given the chance.
Notable Events and Milestones
Peraza’s first career home run on October 4, 2022, off Texas’s Jon Gray, stands as a signature early moment from his Yankees debut. Adding third base to his resume in 2023 and being added to the Yankees’ 40-man roster after the 2020 season both marked important milestones in his path from prospect to established big leaguer.
Oswald Peraza Career Wins
As a position player, Peraza’s win totals are typically measured in big league achievements such as his September 2022 call-up, his first career home run, and his midseason 2025 trade to the Angels. His statistical record through the 2025 season reflects a developmental stretch that has included both flashes of promise and stretches of adjustment.
Major League Highlights
Peraza’s most memorable major league stretch came in September 2022, when he hit .306/.404/.429 in 49 at-bats and launched his first career home run against the Rangers. Across his combined Yankees tenure from 2022 to 2025, he appeared in regular big league action each season, even as injuries such as his 2024 subscapularis strain and 2025 offensive struggles interrupted his rhythm.
Other Wins and Performances
In the minors, Peraza’s 2022 season with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre stands out, when he batted .259/.329/.448 in 386 at-bats and forced his way onto the Yankees’ September call-up list. Earlier, his steady climb through Pulaski, Staten Island, Charleston, Hudson Valley, and Somerset reflected consistent progression up the organizational ladder.
Oswald Peraza Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Publicly available details about Peraza’s immediate family are limited, and he has generally kept his personal background out of the spotlight. He is Venezuelan by nationality, and his upbringing in a baseball-rich country shaped his early development as a middle infielder.
Personal Life
Peraza came to the United States as a teenager after signing with the Yankees in 2016, building his professional life around the baseball calendar. Beyond his career milestones, he is known primarily for his work on the field, with limited public information available about his personal or family life.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season was a year of transition for Peraza, beginning with a difficult stretch at the plate in pinstripes. In 71 appearances for the Yankees, he slashed .152/.212/.241 with three home runs, 13 RBI, and three stolen bases, prompting the organization to explore a change of scenery at the trade deadline.
His July 31, 2025, trade to the Los Angeles Angels offered a reset, and he finished the year with 35 games in Anaheim, hitting .186 with two home runs, seven RBI, and six stolen bases. The increased stolen-base output in the second half suggested the speed-and-contact profile that originally defined him as a prospect was beginning to resurface.
Heading into the next season, Peraza’s outlook with the Angels hinges on translating his defensive versatility and baserunning into more consistent offensive production. The opportunity to settle into a defined role under a new coaching staff could play a key part in unlocking the offensive form he showed during his September 2022 debut.