The Braves have designated outfielder Dustin Peterson for assignment, the team announced via Twitter. The move creates a 40-man roster spot for outfielder Preston Tucker, who Atlanta re-acquired from the Reds in a trade earlier today.
A second-round pick for the Padres in the 2013 draft, Peterson joined the Atlanta organization as one of four prospects San Diego dealt to the Braves for Justin Upton back in December 2014. He has posted a middling .259/.316/.375 slash line over 2599 PA in the minor leagues, though steadily progressed up the chain before an injury-shortened 2017 campaign led him to repeat Triple-A in 2018. Peterson (who turns 24 next week) did well enough to earn his first taste of MLB action, a cup of coffee in May that saw him appear in two games as a pinch-hitter.
Prior to the season, the 2018 Baseball America Prospect Handbook ranked Peterson as the 22nd-best minor leaguer within the Braves’ deep farm system, citing his “above-average bat speed and above-average power.” His power diminished in 2017, perhaps due to the hamate injury that limited him to 87 games, and Peterson didn’t show too much extra pop again this year, with 11 homers and a .406 slugging percentage over 442 PA at the Triple-A level.
Even with this modest performance, MLB.com still had Peterson 15th on their list of Atlanta’s top 30 prospects. Given his youth and second-round pedigree, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a team claim Peterson off DFA waivers to give him a look during the expanded roster period in September.