Yankees: 6 infield trade targets for the offseason’s final month

2. Hernan Perez, Brewers

You want to talk about versatility? Perez played all nine positions (including pitcher) over the course of 136 games for Milwaukee in 2017. Most of his reps came at third base and in the outfield, although he did start 16 games at second base.

He’s no slouch with the bat, either. Perez is a low on-base guy, but he hits the ball hard. He swatted .259/.289/.414 with 14 dingers and 13 steals last season. It’s feasible that Perez, 27 come Opening Day, could bump that homer total up to 20.

Another plus: Perez is a terrific contact hitter. He K’d just 79 times in 432 at-bats last year. Although he doesn’t walk at all, Perez’s competent aggression would be an intriguing contrast to the Yankees’ patient offensive style.

Like Profar, Perez will probably begin the season as the fifth wheel in one of baseball’s nastiest infields. Milwaukee, who missed the postseason by a single game in 2017, boasts a combination of Eric Thames at first base, Jonathan Villar at second base, Travis Shaw at third base and Orlando Arcia at shortstop.

Perez and Eric Sogard are Milwaukee’s two best bench players, and they’re both infielders. Perhaps Perez could be had for the right price.

It would cost more to get Perez than it would acquire Profar, just because Perez is a better hitter. But Milwaukee is another team that a) really wants to make the playoffs and b) could really use some more pitching.

The Brewers’ rotation is their weakness. Jordan Montgomery is off the table here, but what about Domingo German? German pitched exceptionally well in Scranton last summer and the Yankees like him a great deal.

But as previously mentioned, starting pitching depth isn’t the most pressing issue for this Yankees club, primarily if they can acquire another one from outside the organization. A package based around German and, say, Ben Heller, might be enough to pique the Brewers’ interest.

Perez, a native of Venezuela, is also controlled through 2021.