DURHAM, NC- Former Wichita Wingnuts and Amarillo Sox outfielder David Peralta (pictured) was called up to the Arizona Diamondbacks today, June 1. Peralta started in left field for the Diamondbacks, and went 2-for-4 in a 4-3 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. Peralta, who was called up straight from the Class AA Mobile BayBears of the Southern League, recorded his first Major League hit on a single in the bottom of the fourth inning. He later collected a leadoff single in the seventh inning.
For Peralta, the call-up comes less than a year after he last appeared on an American Association Roster. On July 2, 2013, Peralta’s contract was purchased by the Diamondbacks from the Amarillo Sox. Peralta had previously spent the 2012 season with the Wichita Wingnuts.
Peralta’s path to the Diamondbacks is even more remarkable considering the fact that he was not a position player until 2011. He spent two seasons (2006 and 2007) in the St. Louis Cardinals’ system as a pitcher, but did not play professionally from 2008-2010. When Peralta joined the Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings of the North American Baseball League in 2011, he was initially a pitcher, but was soon converted.
Once Peralta put up monster numbers in the American Association, the Diamondbacks made the call. In 140 American Association games, Peralta hit .338 with 11 home runs and 108 RBIs. He was hitting .352 through 42 games of the 2013 season before being purchased by the Diamondbacks. Peralta finished out 2013 with the Visalia Rawhide, Class A Advanced affiliate of the Diamondbacks. There, he hit .346 in 51 games with eight home runs and 42 RBIs.
In 2014, Peralta was hitting .297 with six home runs and 46 RBIs through 53 games with the BayBears before becoming the 16th former American Association player to wear a Major League uniform.
