The Cincinnati Reds made a roster move today when Blake Wood returned from the paternity list, and that move was to send outfielder Kyle Waldrop to Triple-A. That meant that the team was keeping Jose Peraza on the big league roster.

The decision to keep Jose Peraza on the roster is a seemingly strange one. The team kept their patience with other prospects, specifically Cody Reed, when it came to waiting to bring him up and avoid Super Two status that would allow him to get an extra year of arbitration. Peraza, who had big league service time last year with the Dodgers, clearly isn’t beyond the point in which he would no longer be eligible for Super Two status. Maybe the team is less concerned about the extra money they believe he would cost them, as a player who isn’t likely to put up big power numbers that tend to get hitters paid more than a well-rounded, but “unsexy” game.

What also makes it a bit strange is that Jose Peraza doesn’t exactly have a spot to play every day. He’s spent a large majority of his time playing shortstop in Triple-A, but that spot is Zack Cozart’s for now. Second base, another position he’s seen a lot of time at in the minor leagues (prior to this season) is taken by Brandon Phillips. He’s also seen time in center field, which is also locked up at the big league level. Bryan Price has even played Peraza in left field this week.

If Peraza is going to be used 4-5 days a week in a starting role, whether those starts are coming at shortstop, second, center or left field, then the plan makes some sense. Since he was called up this most recent time, Peraza has started in six games and pinch hit in another game. He’s also not played in one game, and he’s not in the lineup tonight. If that’s the kind of playing time he’s going to work with, then the plan doesn’t really hurt his development at all.

The Reds long-term plan for Peraza isn’t likely that of a utility man. However he’s also just 22-years-old and it’s likely that two of the positions he can play will be opened up within the next year-and-a-half. Zack Cozart is going to be one of the better trade targets of the trade deadline this season. Brandon Phillips is a free agent after next season.

In his limited big league action this season, Peraza has been an incredibly aggressive hitter. He’s swung at pitches outside of the strikezone 43% of the time, which would rank 2nd highest in baseball if he had enough playing time to qualify (just ahead of Brandon Phillips). The sample size is incredibly small, and while he’s known to be an aggressive hitter, he may not be this aggressive over the long haul. It’s something worth keeping an eye on though.

His walk rate in Triple-A this season was the highest it’s been since the 2013 season, and he’s noted that being more patient at the plate was something he was working on. If he’s going to produce at the big league level, the role in which he’s playing isn’t likely going to matter as long as he’s actually getting enough playing time. Until he reaches the point where it’s clear that he’s overmatched, or that there’s not enough playing time for him, the Reds plan seems like a solid one for now with the bigger concern being about future payroll considerations if he reaches Super Two status.