With Peraza gone, Braves bank on Peterson

“His first half was outstanding, he really played well,” Braves VP of baseball operations John Hart said. “He’s struggled a little bit (since then) which is not unusual (for a rookie). I love his defense. I like the fact that he puts good at-bats up there. And I like his makeup. This is a tough kid that likes to play.

“He’s still a young player. It’s not like he’s a finished product by any means. This is a good, solid baseball player that can help you on both sides of the ball.”

As things stand now, the Braves are looking at Peterson to play second base next year and into the future. Peraza was their top infield prospect in the high minors and Ozzie Albies, just 18-years old, still is a few years away from the big leagues.

Peterson said he wasn’t aware that Hart cited his potential as one reason the Braves were willing to part with Peraza. He said he’s not taking anything for granted.

“Anytime the organization has something to say about you, it makes you feel good,” Peterson said. “But it’s a funny business and anything can happen. You can’t relax. You’ve got to keep pushing and working and getting better. That’s what I’m about, and that’s what I’m going to do.”

Peterson’s defensive skills are obvious. During spring training, Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons expressed surprise at how advanced Peterson was defensively, and the two have since combined to form sharp duo in the middle infield.

Watching Peterson play second, it’s clear to see why he was a three-sport star in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

“And he’s getting better and better,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “That takes just reps and time.”

Peterson isn’t as advanced at the plate, which makes sense with his background.

Peterson didn’t play baseball full time until the Padres selected him in the first round of the 2011 draft out of McNeese State. Peterson was playing high Single-A ball in 2013 and played in just 86 games at the Double-A and Triple-A levels before the Padres called him up for 27 games last year.

The Braves acquired Peterson in a December trade and he’s been their regular second baseman for most of the season. After a slow start at the plate, he had an excellent stretch from mid-May through June in which he hit .297 with a .381 on-base percentage over 45 games.

That was followed by a prolonged dip in his numbers, with periodic spikes since. Peterson now is batting .244 with a .321 on-base percentage.

“When you are going bad, you are trying to do too much, you press, chase, and expand your zone,” he said. “That’s when you get in trouble.”

But even with the decline in his production, there are signs that Peterson has the potential to be a solid hitter.

Peterson has struck out in 19.5 percent of his plate appearances, which according to FanGraphs is a bit better than league average. Peterson has walked on 9.6 percent of his plate appearances, which is above average. His .301 average on balls in play also is about average for the league.

It’s a good sign for Peterson that he’s made good contact and shown solid plate discipline in his first full season. Those are especially good traits for a player who projects as a lead-off hitter in the Braves’ evolving small-ball approach to offense.

Peterson is relatively old by prospect standards but Hart said Peterson’s late focus on baseball compared to his peers means he could have more room to grow.

“I think he has a chance as he gets a little more experience that there’s more in there, for sure offensively,” Hart said. “Defensively, I’m very satisfied with what I’ve seen from him. I think he can really help you at second base. And he plays the game the right way, with a real energy that you like to see.”