The Lotte Giants of the Korea Baseball Organization announced this week that they’re waiving former Dodgers and Rangers outfielder DJ Peters (link via Jee-ho Yoo of the Yonhap News Agency). Yoo adds that the Giants are expected to announce a new foreign-player acquisition soon.
Peters, 26, was the Dodgers’ fourth-round draft pick back in 2016 and had been in his first season in the KBO after agreeing to a one-year, $600K deal with the Giants this past offseason. He made his big league debut with the Dodgers in 2021 before being picked up by the Rangers in an early-August waiver claim and seeing fairly regular action for them down the stretch. Between the two teams, Peters batted .197/.242/.422 with 13 homers, nine doubles and a triple in 240 plate appearances — showing good power but also considerable strikeout-to-walk concerns (34.2% strikeout rate, 5.0% walk rate).
While Peters has improved on both his strikeout and walk rates in the KBO (21.8% strikeout rate, 7.3% walk rate), his overall .228/.299/.402 batting line through 354 plate appearances looks fairly similar to last year’s showing in the big leagues — plenty of pop but with glaring OBP concerns. Peters has been credited for huge power and a concerning hit tool dating back to his prospect days, and that’s largely how his career has played out through his first taste of both MLB action and KBO play.
That huge raw power — FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen credited him with 70-grade power on the 20-80 scale as recently as the 2020-21 offseason — above-average speed and strong throwing arm ought to keep getting Peters opportunities, though following a release in the KBO he’ll likely need to look to a minor league deal if he returns to North American ball. Still, it’s a tantalizing package of raw tools that a team could stash in the upper minors as depth with the hope of a potential breakout.
Meh. His ops sucks even in that league. Three words for him, minor league coach.
Sounds like the profile for the Cubs Patrick Wisdom. Yet he continues to be a regular there.
It because he can hit for decent power . If it wasnt for his 20+ hrs a year. I think things be different.
Because Peters is a poor man’s Wisdom.
A poor man’s wisdom isn’t a major leaguer though. Wisdom makes just enough hard contact to hang around. Though we’ll see how long he’ll be able to last as a regular w so much swing and miss.
It amazes me how guys like him who hits a wall. He obviously isn’t going to go any further unless he learns to cut back on strike outs and put the ball in play more. Why someone doesn’t revamp his approach and learn to be a line drive contact player.
Easy to say, hard to do.
Easier said….especially for someone standing 6’8″. Those are some long levers work with; Judge’s performance is that much more impressive this year.
Always loved pitching to tall players – Lot more holes I could find (and that was just vlind eye without data ) Indeed Impressive for guys like Cal Ripken and Judge to cover all that plate so well
He’ll be back in Arlington by end of the week
I always wondered, if you get cut from the KBO do you still receive your salary for the season?
I know due to the limited roster space for foreigners teams really can’t keep injured or slumping players, but do they keep the rest of their salary or they lose it all?
Certainly not a horrible option as AAA depth piece.
The folks that think he has no value aren’t really following baseball closely at all. Even great teams need replacement level options for a few games each year.
And Peters has the potential even if unlikely to get there of a better than replacement level performance.
Would welcome him back to dodgers on a minor league pact. The dodgers had Eddie Alvarez playing OF for a few games this season. And he looked very uncomfortable out there.
I would be surprised if Dodgers would even consider him, unless its to add wind power for electricity
They’ve already got Joe Davis for that.
Lets call him the poor man’s AAA Chris Davis
Christian Walker*
Peters hits better than Davis lol
I still believe in Glendora’s Prodigal Son. Probably feeling home sick in Korea… dude should go play ball in Mexico. More like home than Asia and Alejandro Kirk is giving hype to the league right now.