Diamondbacks 2022 Player Reviews: David Peralta
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2022 Player Reviews Links Page
Status: Final year of three year extension, $7,500,000
David Peralta 2022 and Career Stats
Career and 2022 Review
By now almost all Diamondbacks fans probably know David Peralta's origin story. Signed by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2005 as a pitcher, he suffered two shoulder injuries resulting in him washing out and getting released in 2009. He believed he could still make it as a hitter and an outfielder however and pressed on. His determination and perseverance were what kept him going as he journeyed through independent ball. At one point he even needed to work at McDonalds just to earn enough gas money to drive from Florida to Texas to join his team. He tore up those leagues, was scouted and signed by the Diamondbacks in July of 2013. You can read more about his journey to the major leagues at this Sports Illustrated article from 2015
After crushing the ball in Advanced class A+ Visalia in 2013 he was promoted to Double-A Mobile in 2014 and continued to hit. So well in fact that he was promoted to the Diamondbacks to make his major league debut on June 1, 2014.
Making a great first impression, Peralta had a two hit game in his debut, and opened his career with a seven game hitting streak that included four games in a row with two-hits. He immediately became a fan favorite. His infectious smile and unbridled exuberance were just what the team needed to lift spirits during a down season. Spraying the ball all around the yard, his specialty early on was hitting triples, knocking 9 of them his rookie season and leading the league with 10 the following year. The signature freight train whistle that blared through Chase Field's sound system every time he barreled into third base sent fans wild with joy.
When fully healthy Peralta was one of the better hitters in the league. Through 2019 he hit .290 with an .824 OPS and a 116 wRC+, (roughly 16% better than league average). He became an every day fixture in the outfield and the middle of the batting order. He also emerged as a team leader and key clubhouse presence. He had a career year in 2018 belting 30 homers and posting a 127 OPS+, winning the Silver Slugger award. He won a Gold Glove in 2019, testimony to his hard work ethic and efforts to improve.
His 2019 season ended with a shoulder injury however. In what was considered a team friendly deal at the time, he signed a three year, $22 million extension with the Diamondbacks in January of 2020. When discussing the extension Peralta expressed his loyalty towards the organization that believed in him. He didn't want to play anywhere else. The 2020-21 seasons were just average for Peralta however as he hit a combined .271 with a 97 wRC+ that included just 13 homers and a .412 slugging percentage. Heading into the final year of his contract he felt he needed to make an adjustment.
Through 2021 Peralta had only a 28% fly ball rate, well below the league average. When he did elevate the ball he had plenty of power to knock it out of the park. But most of the time his approach resulted in hard ground balls and line drives that frequently found a gap or went down the line for extra base hits. Heading into spring training 2022 Peralta reduced his leg kick and made other changes to increase his launch angle and home run potential.
After a slow start in April where he hit just .206 with two homers, things began to click in May. He hit .277 with six homers and 18 RBI for the month. He hit four more homers in limited playing time over the next two months. His fly ball percentage had jumped all the way to 45%. While his batting average suffered, the added power propelled him back to being an above average major league hitter, as evidenced by his 118 OPS+ and 111 wRC+.
As the team began to promote young left handed hitting outfielders such as Alek Thomas and Jake McCarthy, it cut into Peralta's plate appearances. By mid July the talk of him likely being moved at the trade deadline were pervasive and clearly wearing on him. He expressed understanding and awareness of the business side baseball. But the Diamondbacks were the only major league organization he'd ever played for and he knew it would hurt when the day finally came that he'd been traded. A much more subdued and introspective David Peralta was frequently seen quietly at his locker staring into his phone, far less exuberant than he was in years past. It was no longer his locker room.
The day finally came on July 30th, 2022 when Peralta was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays for catching prospect Christian Cerda. General Manager Mike Hazen discussed an emotional conversation with Peralta where he walked through the thought process with him. With the obvious glut of left handed hitting outfield prospects the writing was always on the wall. But trading a fan favorite is never easy and it wasn't this time. Showing Peralta's trademark good nature however, Hazen said "David and I joked that I needed to do a better job of getting more pitching instead of left handed hitting outfielders"
Peralta did have the chance to go play in meaningful games down the stretch with a playoff contender. He never quite hit his stride with Tampa Bay however. While he hit .255, he failed to homer and had just a 94 wRC+. He had just one pinch hit at bat in the wild card round of the playoffs, striking out.
2023 Outlook
Peralta is a free agent and will be looking for a new team in 2023. It's likely that he'll find work on a one year deal to serve as left handed bench bat and veteran presence.
He'll always be remembered as a Diamondback however and fans will surely miss the sounds of the Freight Train whistle echoing around Chase Field.
