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Jace Peterson: Long-Term Solution at 2B for Braves?

By Jonathan Savitske

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Jace Peterson has been the Atlanta Braves’ starting second-baseman since opening day after winning the job outright during Spring Training.

Initially thought of as a utility player that would come off the bench after the trade that sent Justin Upton to the San Diego Padres, Jace Peterson surprised many during Spring Training, showing his major league readiness with an ability to consistently make contact with the ball. A defensive back in college at McNeese State, Peterson chose baseball over football, and is now showing the Braves that he may have been a steal in the Upton transaction.

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Jace Peterson has had a great rookie year for the Atlanta Braves. In 102 games played in 2015, Peterson is batting .250 with 5 home-runs and .680 OPS. Jace Peterson is also tied for the team lead in RBI’s with 47. He has also played remarkably well defensively, developing great chemistry with defensive wizard Andrelton Simmons.

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While the Atlanta Braves are not the most dangerous offensive team this season, Jace Peterson has proven to be one of the more consistent players for the Braves at the plate. Peterson’s tendency as a streaky hitter is frustrating at times; but as only a rookie, he has shown signs that he will develop into a nice player for the Atlanta Braves.

The biggest question with Jace Peterson is whether he is a long-term option at second-base (or the infield) for the Braves. Going into Spring Training, prospect Jose Peraza was projected as the second-baseman of the future for the Braves, but was beaten out by Peterson for the starting job in 2015. Following the trade that sent Peraza to the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 29, it became clear that John Hart and the Atlanta Braves front-office now believes that Jace Peterson has a long-term future with the club.

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Though his numbers this year as a rookie may pale in comparison to other rookie infielders such as the Cubs Kris Bryant of the Giants Matt Duffy, Jace Peterson’s stats are still excellent for a first-year player. He has become a consistent contributor for the Braves on offense — maybe second to only Cameron Maybin with RISP.

With Peraza now in the Dodgers system, the hope is that Jace Peterson will continue to develop into a .300 hitter for the Braves in the years to come. With the acquisition of Hector Olivera, and prospects Rio Ruiz and Dustin Peterson developing in the minors, it is highly unlikely the Atlanta Braves would move Jace Peterson to third-base in the future, leaving him as the primary option, present and future, at second-base for the Braves. 

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