David Peralta
Senger David Peralta Guerrero
(Freight Train)
- Bats Left, Throws Left
- Height 6' 2", Weight 215 lb.
- Born August 14, 1987 in Valencia, Carabobo Venezuela
Biographical Information[edit]
David Peralta began playing in the minor league in 2006 and made his big league debut in 2014.
Originally a pitcher, he was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in September 2004. In his first professional season, he went 1-1 with a 5.00 ERA in 3 games (2 starts) for the Johnson City Cardinals. In 2007, again with Johnson City, he was 1-5 with a 5.81 ERA in 15 games (8 starts). He had 56 strikeouts in 52 2/3 innings, though he also walked 29 batters. The Cardinals cut ties with him following the season.
He returned to American pro ball in 2011 as an outfielder. Playing for the Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings of the independent North American League, he hit .392/.429/.661 with 17 home runs, 81 RBI, 30 doubles, 76 runs scored and 133 hits in 85 games. With the Wichita Wingnuts of the American Association in 2012, he hit .332/.392/.462 with 3 home runs, 70 RBI, 25 stolen bases, 30 doubles and 125 hits in 98 games. He began 2013 with the American Association's Amarillo Sox, but after hitting .352/.381/.604 with 8 home runs and 38 RBI in 42 games with them, the Arizona Diamondbacks signed him and assigned him to their High-A club, the Visalia Oaks. He continued his hot hitting, batting .346/.370/.534 with 8 home runs and 42 RBI in 51 games there On the season, he hit .349/.375/.567 with 16 home runs, 80 RBI and 136 hits in 93 games.
He began 2014 with the Double-A Mobile BayBears. In 53 games, he hit .297 with 17 doubles and 6 homers before getting the call to the major leagues on June 1st, when the Diamondbacks' starting centerfielder, A.J. Pollock, was placed on the disabled list with a broken hand. As a result, he started in left field that same day, batting seventh, and went 2 for 4 against the Cincinnati Reds. His first hit was a single off Alfredo Simon in the 4th, and he added another single in the 7th, but struck out in his other two at-bats. He played 88 games, hitting .286 with 12 doubles, 9 triples and 8 homers. He scored 40 runs and drove in 36 while maintaining an OPS+ of 112.
In 2015, he spent the entire season with Arizona, playing 149 games as the team's principal left-fielder. He hit a solid .312/.371/.522, with a National League-leading 10 triples, to go along with 26 doubles and 18 homers, with 61 runs and 78 RBIs. His emergence as an everyday player allowed the D-Backs to trade OF Ender Inciarte after the season in order to add another top starting pitcher in Shelby Miller.
Notable Achievements[edit]
- NL Gold Glove Winner (2019/LF)
- NL Silver Slugger Award Winner (2018)
- 2-time NL Triples Leader (2015 & 2021)
- 20-Home Run Seasons: 1 (2018)
- 30-Home Run Seasons: 1 (2018)
Further Reading[edit]
- David Brandt (Associated Press): "Rays acquire OF David Peralta in trade with D-backs", Yahoo! News, July 30, 2022. [1]
- Richard Justice: "Peralta's improbable path to Majors inspires: 'He's one of those guys every team wants to have,' La Russa says of D-backs outfielder", mlb.com, February 27, 2016. [2]
- Bob Nightengale: "'It's never too late': David Peralta's unlikely renaissance in Arizona", USA Today Sports, March 30, 2016. [3]
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