Jhonny Peralta |
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Jhonny Antonio Peralta (born May 28, 1982) is a baseball player who is currently the starting third baseman for the Cleveland Indians. He signed with the Indians in 1999 as an undrafted free agent.
Peralta made his major league debut with Cleveland on June 12, 2003, filling in for the injured Omar Vizquel. He would go on to hit .227 with 4 home runs and 21 RBI in 2003. In 2004, despite great Triple-A numbers, Peralta only saw 25 at-bats in 8 games with the Indians due to the presence of perennial Gold Glover and fan favorite Vizquel, who left the Indians as a free agent after the 2004 season.
By this time, Peralta had established himself as one of the minor league's best hitters in his time with the Akron Aeros and Buffalo Bisons. He was the 2004 Player of the Year in the International League, helping Buffalo win the International League championship.