DJ Peterson To Start 2015 Season In Seattle Or Tacoma?
The past few years, at every trade deadline and every off-season, it seems as if the Seattle Mariners are on the brink of acquiring a big hitter in exchange for one of our high profile prospects. But as we know, the team failed to pull the trigger on Matt Kemp, Justin Upton, Yoenis Cespedes and a few others that they were rumored to be interested in.
After game one of Cactus League play in 2015, we now know why.
In his first at-bat of the spring, DJ Peterson took San Diego Padres starter Jason Lane deep over the left-center field fence.
DJ Peterson's first AB of the Spring! https://t.co/Tw10RdVjBk
— Emerald City Swagger (@EmeraldCitySwag) March 5, 2015
According to Larry Stone of the Seattle Times, Peterson was actively trying NOT to do too much with the ball. “I was just trying to get the jitters out,’’ Peterson said in Stone’s article. “I wasn’t trying to do that. It just kind of happened.”
The power from the 23-year old shouldn’t be too much of a surprise to Mariners fans. In 2014, Peterson blasted 31 home runs in 123 games playing for A High Desert and AA Jackson, while slugging .552.
Very rarely do prospects make the jump from AA straight to the big leagues. However, the Mariners showed that they are not afraid to so in calling up Roenis Elias to the 25-man roster in 2014 despite Elias never throwing a pitch in Tacoma. Could DJ Peterson be on track to do the same?
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Peterson has experience at first base as well as third, with corner outfield also as a possibility. Let’s look at the roster.
Third base is pretty much locked down for the next seven years or so by all-star and Gold Glove winner Kyle Seager. So barring an injury, that is out of the question for now.
Logan Morrison finished 2014 scorching hot, hitting .313/.376/.516 with six home runs and 20 RBI in August and September. You’d have to think Morrison figures to be playing five or six days a week in 2015 unless he begins to struggle like he did early in 2014. As for the backup spot, Jesus Montero is probably the best bet, especially now that Ji-Man Choi is out for the foreseeable future.
As for the outfield, the Mariners might have more depth than they know what to do with. Austin Jackson struggled mightily at the plate for Seattle in 2014, but he is still the same talented player he was for the Detroit Tigers and should be much better in 2015. Not to mention no one else on the roster can play CF anywhere near as well as Jackson now that Michael Saunders is no longer with the Mariners.
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Dustin Ackley appears to finally have recaptured his magic at the plate after being one of the most prolific college hitters of all time but struggling mightily in the pros.
As for RF, Seth Smith and Justin Ruggiano is the assumed platoon, with veteran Ricky Weeks also figuring to play in one of the corner spots a few days a week.
So unless any of these players start to backslide, Peterson’s road to Seattle might be blocked for the time being.
However, that doesn’t stop DJ Peterson from paving his own road.
If Peterson tears the cover off the ball in Peoria, Lloyd McClendon and co. might just have to make a spot for him. Whether that means relegating one of the veterans such as Montero, Ruggiano or Weeks, or possibly carrying one less man in the bull pen, we will have to see.
But if DJ Peterson shows that he is ready to hit major league pitching, that is something the Mariners can’t afford to not have in the clubhouse.