LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – On a day when the Braves didn’t do much offensively and kicked it around on defense, outfielder Eric Young Jr. and infield prospect Jace Peterson continued to strengthen bids for spots on the opening day roster.
Young, who has emerged as a leading candidate for the opening-day center field job, bounced an RBI double over the fence, drew a walk and scored a run in the Braves’ 6-2 loss to the Cardinals at Champion Stadium. The non-roster invitee is batting just .200 in 15 at-bats, but has a .400 OBP and three stolen bases in five games and has played solid defense despite limited center-field experience.
Young and rookies Eury Perez and Todd Cunningham are competing for the center-field job until Melvin Upton returns from a foot injury that could sideline him at least for April.
“If we had to break camp tomorrow, I would be comfortable running him out there in center field,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said of Young, who has made several nice catchers including one Wednesday. “We still have a lot more games to be be played, he’s still got a lot more work to be done with (coach) Bo (Porter) clean him up a little bit. But he’s got the athletic ability and he seems fearless, which is hard to teach. He’ll go after balls and leave his feet to catch them. Those are all good qualities.”
Peterson is vying for the second-base job or a utility infield role. He started at shortstop Wednesday, made a strong throw from the hole, and went 1-for-3 to raise his average to .400 (6-for-15) with three walks and a .500 OBP in six games.
“He’s an athlete,” Gonzalez said of the former Padres prospect, who played baseball and football three years at McNeese State University. “He gives you the ability to play the middle of the diamond. Fast-forward, if he makes the club, he’s a guy who could give (shortstop Andrelton) Simmons a day off, you could run him at shortstop and let him play there.”
Wood goes 2 2/3 innings: Braves starter Alex Wood was charged with three hits, two runs (none earned) and two walks with one strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings. The lefty was replaced after reaching his pitch limit following a sacrifice fly and RBI ground-ball single through the left side in the third inning, after he'd issued two walks in the inning. The inning started with the first of two errors by third baseman Chris Johnson.
