Last year, outfielder Yonathan Peraza (27), who played for Hanwha Eagles in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) League, has eventually been sent down to the minor leagues. After struggling with a batting average in the .100s in the spring training, he was cut off.

On the 10th, the San Diego Padres sent pitcher Ryan Bergert, who was on the 40-man roster, to minor options to Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas, while also moving non-roster pitcher Eduarniel Nunez, Harold Chirinos, Luis Patino, catcher Rodolfo Duran, and outfielder Peraza to minor camp.

Peraza, who signed a minor league contract with San Diego last December, joined spring training as a non-roster invitee. However, he struggled with a batting average of .167 (2 hits in 12 at-bats), 1 RBI, 1 run, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts, resulting in an on-base percentage of .286, slugging percentage of .167, and OPS of .453 over 10 games.

In his second game on the 23rd of last month against the Athletics, Peraza made his first hit with a double at a blistering speed of 110.5 mph (177.8 km/h) and showed a multi-getting on base performance, including a walk, before getting the opportunity to start against the LA Dodgers on the 24th. However, he failed to capitalize on that chance with 0 hits in 2 at-bats and 1 strikeout.

From that day, Peraza went silent with 0 hits in 7 at-bats and 1 walk over 6 games. On the 6th, he hit a 104.9 mph (168.8 km/h) hit in the 9th inning against the Colorado Rockies, but it became his last at-bat of this spring training. On the 7th, he was substituted defensively in the 8th inning against the Texas Rangers but did not get an opportunity to bat.

San Diego has set its starters as left fielder Jason Heyward, center fielder Jackson Merrill, and right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. Peraza was competing for a backup outfield spot, but his performance notably lagged behind Brandon Lockridge (batting average .300, OPS .814), who is on the 40-man roster, as well as Oscar Gonzalez (batting average .333, OPS .788) and Forest Wall (batting average .273, 2 home runs, OPS .895), who are also non-roster invitees.

Having fallen out of the running for the opening roster early on, Peraza ultimately faces the season in the minor leagues. Last year around this time, he prepared for the season earning an aggregate of $1 million ($800,000 guaranteed) while at Hanwha, but this year he must compete for survival in the minor leagues under much poorer conditions. It's hard not to remember Korea for Peraza.

Switch-hitter Peraza, hailing from Venezuela, gained attention as a prospect when he signed with the Chicago Cubs for a signing bonus of $1.3 million in August 2015. Originally an infielder, he transitioned to the outfield in 2019 due to defensive instability and steadily improved his hitting, reaching Triple-A. However, he continued to face defensive issues in the outfield, leading to his not being called up and postponing his dream of a Major League debut until he arrived in Korea last year. He had a clear purpose of succeeding in Korea and moving to Major League Baseball.

Early in the season, Peraza sparked a Hanwha surge with lightning-fast bat speed and clutch hitting. He posted top-tier league results until May, but after colliding with the fence during a defensive play against Samsung in Daegu on May 31, he suffered a chest injury, which disrupted his performance. After taking a recovery period of two weeks, he returned, but he could never regain the form he showed in the early season. With fluctuating hitting, he struck out five times in a single game. He also exposed his defensive instability, with nine errors in corner outfield, leading him to mostly serve as a designated hitter in the second half of the season.

His final season stats were a batting average of .275 (125 hits in 455 at-bats), 24 home runs, and 70 RBIs in 122 games with OPS .850. It was a disappointing performance for a foreign player in a hitter-friendly season, and Hanwha decided not to re-sign Peraza early on. They brought in Estevan Florial, who plays center field and has strong defensive skills, as his primary position. Although Hanwha released their rights on Peraza, he was not taken by other teams.

Although he failed to re-sign, Peraza bid farewell on social media, stating, "I really enjoyed playing for Hanwha, and I will miss it." He has continued to express his nostalgia by posting videos of his time playing for Hanwha. With his recent demotion to minor camp, his longing for Korea has likely intensified. However, at just 27 years old, there is still time for Peraza to grow.

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