Getty Everson Pereira reacts during a September 9, 2023 New York Yankees game.
New York Yankees prospect Everson Pereira is considered to be the team’s most likely 2024 trade candidate, according to a May 23 article from Bleacher Report columnist Joel Reuter.
“With Aaron Judge, Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo as the starting outfield and top prospect Jasson Dominguez on the recovery trail after undergoing Tommy John surgery, the Yankees are going to have a crowded outfield in the near future,” Reuter wrote.
“Even with Soto and Verdugo both ticketed for free agency, the Yankees also have Spencer Jones as one of the headliners of their farm system, and trading from their abundance of outfielders would give Pereira a clear path to playing time elsewhere and address a more pressing roster need,” he added.
Pereira is currently the No. 5 ranked prospect in the Yankees farm system. He is also the No. 3 outfield prospect, behind Jones and Dominguez.
Considering that New York has been tabbed as a potential landing spot for Toronto Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (who MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand claims could be traded this season), there’s a chance Pereira could be included in a potential trade in the coming months.
Who is Everson Pereira?
Everson Pereira signed for $1.5 million out of Venezuela as part of the Yankees’ 2017-18 international class, according to MLB.com.
He made his MLB debut with the Yankees on August 22, 2023. The 23-year-old ended up playing in 27 games during the 2023 regular season with New York, producing a .151 batting average and 10 RBIs across 97 at-bats. Out of those 97 at-bats, Pereira struck out 40 times.
Pereira started the 2024 season with New York’s AAA affiliate, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. And throughout 40 games in 2024, Pereira has hit .265 with 10 home runs and 27 RBIs.
Per MLB.com, Pereira, “originally projected as a potential plus hitter with average power, but his profile has flipped as he got stronger and started swinging for the fences. The bat speed and loft in his right-handed stroke help create well above-average raw power and huge exit velocities, but his approach also leads to a lot of in-zone swing-and-misses and strikeouts.”
In addition, Pereira, “has good outfield instincts, and his solid range and plus arm make him an asset at all three [outfield] spots.”
Everson Pereira’s Recent Adjustments at the Plate
A May 23 article from NJ.com’s Max Goodman said that Pereira has adjusted his bat path this season, in hopes of lowering his strike out rate and ultimately returning to the Yankees.
“It’s helping him be flatter through the zone,” Scranton/Wilkes-Barre hitting coach Trevor Amicone said. “There’s much more room for error for him to be able to make contact whether he’s beat a little bit by a fastball or he gets something off-speed in the zone that he can do damage on if he’s got length. It’s giving him more length through the zone, helping him be on plane longer.”
Amicone also noted that Pereira faced mental struggles during his brief Yankees tenure in 2023.
“People don’t realize how difficult that is to go up there for the first time and all of the things that have not been exposed at lower levels in the minor leagues get exposed for the first time,” Amicone explained.
He also addressed the trade speculation swirling around Pereira.
“Regardless of who it’s with, we want Everson to play in the big leagues and be really, really good,” Amicone added. “We want him to be really good for us. And if that happens, great. If it happens with somebody else, and he’s helped us win, I think we’re going to be happy for everybody and he’s going to be happy for everyone too.”