Jace Peterson is making his case to rejoin the Braves.
Peterson was demoted to Triple-A Gwinnett on Friday after hitting .194 in 42 games in the majors. It’s the second consecutive season the 27-year-old was sent down following a dreadful start.
Braves manager Brian Snitker said he hopes consistent playing time helps Peterson rediscover “his game.” Peterson said the team didn’t tell him any specific weaknesses to hone while he’s down.
“They want me playing different positions and getting at-bats,” he said. “That’s what they told me.”
Peterson’s made the most of his time so far, hitting .364 in his first five games. He has three multi-hit showings, with his lone hitless outing occurring Wednesday in Gwinnett’s 6-0 win over Norfolk.
Those numbers, while a small sample size, are a far cry from Peterson’s 2016 stint in Triple-A. After starting 152 Braves games in 2015, Peterson lost his starting job five games into the next season and was demoted May 2.
It initially was expected to be a brief stay, but the Braves held Peterson in the minors for over a month. He slashed .186/.275/.258 in 26 games before he was recalled.
“I’m down here just doing what I need to do,” he said. “I don’t know that I can compare it; last year is last year. I’m just coming out here and playing baseball.”
Still, this season has further clouded Peterson’s future. His offense remained stagnant, especially in the power department. He slugged .259 and had just six extra-base hits on a Braves team starving for power off the bench. Peterson’s 123 consecutive appearances without a home run is the fifth longest streak in the majors.
But the past week was a wake-up call. Peterson already has three extra-base hits, including a homer, in Gwinnett. He has six RBIs, compared with nine with the Braves. He credits the immediate success to playing every day.
“Peterson has been nothing but positive since he got here,” Gwinnett manager Damon Berryhill said. “He gets here early, he gets to the cage, works and goes out and plays. He’s performing right now. His swing’s been much more relaxed. He’s not trying to force anything, and it’s putting up good numbers.
“He just knows he’s down here to play, and he’s fighting to get back up.”
Peterson is a true super utility man. He’s played every spot except right field and catcher this season. While he’s had defensive hiccups of late (six errors in 2017), his athletic ability and versatility justified a roster spot. Now that role is filled by 23-year-old Johan Carmargo, who profiles similarly to Peterson.
Berryhill and Peterson said there’s no timetable for a promotion.
“I really don’t think about it,” Peterson said. “I just come and play, show up and work.”
The Braves acquired Peterson from San Diego in the December 2014 Justin Upton trade. He was the opening-day starter at second base in 2015 and 2016. Peterson has hit .239 across three seasons for the Braves.
