Former Yankees prospect is turning heads in his new role with the Angels

During the middle of the 2016 season, Oswald Peraza signed as an international free agent with the New York Yankees. He would go on to battle in the minor leagues before he was added to the 40-man roster after the 2020 season.

However, it would be a few years before he would make his MLB debut. That came late into the 2022 season, and it would only take a few games for him to hit his first home run. 

He would become a regular in the lineup after that, but his time in the Bronx would soon come to an end. Ahead of the deadline last season, he was traded to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for Wilberson De Pena and international bonus pool money. 

MORE: Angels Jose Soriano is making a revealing case for AL Cy Young in the first month of 2026

Former Yankees prospect is turning heads in his new role with the Angels

Going from the Yankees to the Angels could be quite the culture shock. Peraza went from a contending team every single year to one that has not been to the postseason since the 2014 season. 

However, that is not stopping him from showing out, especially early this season. Across 23 games, he is hitting .294/.360/.529 with four home runs and eight runs batted in. 

The former No. 2 Yankees prospect has been valuable, and with what he did against his former club last week, Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter tags him as one of the biggest surprises so far this season. 

"The 25-year-old was traded to the Angels for a low-level outfield prospect last summer, and he has found a home with the Halos, splitting his time between second base and third base. He went 5-for-10 with two home runs in a three-game series at Yankee Stadium last week, providing a full-circle moment to his breakout performance."

He, alongside what Mike Trout and Jose Soriano are doing, has the fanbase jumping for joy. While they haven't done much over the past decade, this could be the best team these fans have seen in quite a while.

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