Trade Central: Rays Acquire Peralta, D-Backs Add Catching Prospect

With Wander Franco, Mike Zunino, Kevin Kiermaier, Tyler Glasnow and Shane Baz all on the 60-day injured list, the Rays have limped out of the all-star break, slowly slipping to third in the American League East. But Tampa Bay is still on pace for a playoff berth, so the Rays added some modest reinforcements on Saturday, acquiring veteran outfielder David Peralta from Arizona in exchange for a teenage catcher who has yet to play in full-season ball.

RAYS RECEIVE

David Peralta, OF
Age: 34

Peralta has turned out to be one of the most productive players ever signed out of independent ball. A pitcher with the Cardinals who proved he could hit during a stint with Wichita in the American Association, Peralta has spent nine years with the D-Backs and he’s consistently demonstrated the ability to hit stinging line drives. His maximum exit velocities have long been well above-average. This year, he’s hitting the ball in the air for distance more often, with the trade-off being a higher strikeout rate. Even as a 34-year-old, Peralta remains an average runner who gets solid jumps and is an average defender in left field. The Rays have lacked power this year, so Peralta (who has 12 home runs so far this season) immediately becomes one of the team’s better sluggers.

D-BACKS RECEIVE

Christian Cerda, C
Age: 19

Cerda signed with the Rays in 2019 out of the Dominican Republic, although he was actually born in the U.S. in the Bronx before emigrating. Cerda is an advanced hitter for a teenager who has yet to reach full-season ball. Anyone who says they have a full appreciation of Cerda’s potential at this point is probably a little too confident, since he’s played so little. Cerda will flash some raw power to go with his feel for the strike zone, and he has a plus arm. As a teenage catcher prospect in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League with 20 games in the U.S., Cerda is years from the majors. As a non-top 30 prospect (admittedly in a deep Rays system), he’s a lottery ticket as to whether he will ever reach the majors, but Cerda does have multiple paths to a big league role, as a catch-and-throw catcher with some offensive potential as well. Because of the pandemic, Cerda, like many young players, is behind in his development. He will be eligible for the Rule 5 draft after the 2023 season, which could cause issues down the road.