Zach Buchanan

zbuchanan@enquirer.com

GOODYEAR, Ariz. – Cincinnati Reds hitting coach Don Long has known Jose Peraza for nearly a quarter of Peraza’s life. In other words, Long has known the Venezuelan infielder for five years.

Both were with the Atlanta Braves in 2011, Long as the minor-league hitting instructor and Peraza as a fresh-faced 16-year-old entering his first spring training. Peraza may be able to drink now – he’ll turn 22 at the end of April – but he’s still the youngest player in big-league camp.

That’s a fact that the Reds feel has been lost in the shuffle when it comes to their biggest offseason acquisition. Peraza may have dropped significantly in prospect rankings compared to a year ago, but his figurative growth plates are still quite open.

“He was always the youngest guy wherever he played,” said Long, who was with the Braves from 2011-13. “And he was always one of the better players in the league.”

Peraza has, in fact, always been younger than his competition, and the gap only widened as his minor-league career progressed. In rookie ball in 2011, he was 1.6 years younger than the average player at that level. Last year at Triple-A, his teammates and opponents were an average of 5.8 years older.

Yet his stock took a hit when he failed to put up the fantastic numbers in Triple-A that he did a year earlier and a level lower. He was ranked in the 20s on many top prospect lists after posting a .806 OPS in 2014, but dropped nearly 50 spots after recording a .694 mark in Triple-A. In the meantime, he was traded twice, first from the Braves to the Los Angeles Dodgers at the trade deadline and then this winter as part of the three-team Todd Frazier deal.

The Reds got two other prospects in that trade – including outfielder Scott Schebler and infielder Brandon Dixon – but Peraza was one name who was included in conversations from the beginning.

Reds OF Scott Schebler is more than just a slugger

“We never really talked about trying to get somebody else,” pro scouting director Terry Reynolds said.

As the Reds worked, ultimately unsuccessfully, to move second baseman Brandon Phillips in the offseason, Peraza seemed to be the heir apparent at second base. Instead, he’ll play all over the field if he makes the club, seeing action at second, short and center field during camp.

His defensive abilities aren’t in question, although he hasn’t played much center and last played short full-time regularity in Low-A. What remains to be seen is if the Venezuelan can hit enough to be in the lineup every day. Peraza rarely draws a walk and doesn’t hit for power, but also excels at making contact.

He’s had good on-base numbers the last two seasons mostly on the strength of his ability to put the ball in play. Long invoked Ichiro Suzuki – he of a .356 on-base percentage but a measly 5.9-percent walk rate – as a model for Peraza to emulate. Peraza has struck out about 10 percent of the time in the minors, similar to Suzuki’s career rate in the majors.

“He’s got really good discipline in the strike zone,” Long said. “He’s not a big chaser, which I really like. Generally, when he moves the bat it’s on a really good pitch to hit.”

Because of that zone discipline, the Reds feel Peraza has the ability to draw more walks in the majors as he matures. That will give him more opportunities to wreak havoc on the bases – Peraza stole a combined 157 bases the last three years in the minors and was caught just 37 times.

His defensive position could ultimately be determined by where a hole appears. Phillips is under contract through 2017, and shortstop Zack Cozart can be controlled for as long through arbitration.

Reds SS Zack Cozart on track to return soon

Whether he starts the year in the majors will be a factor of whether the Reds can find him enough at-bats to continue developing. Guaranteeing Peraza 400 plate appearances as a super utility player in relief of Cozart, Phillips and center fielder Billy Hamilton could be tricky.

“If we’re healthy, then I’m going to have to do some real creative managing to get him to move around and play enough,” manager Bryan Price said. “If we’re not healthy, there’s probably a spot for him if he has a good spring.”