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Jace Peterson

Orioles Claim Jace Peterson

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The Orioles have claimed infielder Jace Peterson off waivers from the Yankees, per a club announcement. A 40-man roster spot was opened by moving righty Gabriel Ynoa to the 60-day DL.

Peterson, who’s nearing his 28th birthday, has played very little this year while bouncing on and off of the Yankees’ roster. In need of an additional utility infield option, the O’s took advantage of Peterson’s waiver wire availability to nab him.

In parts of five seasons in the majors, Peterson is a .234/.319/.331 hitter with 15 home runs and 22 steals. That won’t generate much excitement for a player who is primarily a second baseman. But the former Padres and Braves prospect is capable of playing all over the field; he even lined up briefly in short and center in recent campaigns.

Yankees Designate Jace Peterson, Select David Hale

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The Yankees have designated infielder/outfielder Jace Peterson for assignment and selected the contract of right-hander David Hale from Triple-A, per a team announcement.

This is the second time in a two-week span that the Yankees have designated the 27-year-old Peterson, who re-signed with the team on a major league contract after his previous DFA. Peterson reportedly drew interest from several other teams prior to rejoining the Yankees, though, so it’s possible he could exit their organization for another one if he clears waivers and revisits the open market. A former Padre and Brave, Peterson is a career .234/.319/.331 hitter across 1,289 big league plate appearances, including 11 this year with New York.

Hale, 30, inked a minor league accord with the Yankees over the winter and then opened the year at Triple-A with 14 2/3 innings of 5.52 ERA/3.67 FIP ball. He last pitched in the majors in 2016, when he threw just two innings with the Rockies, and has combined for a 4.48 ERA/4.37 FIP with 6.04 K/9, 3.12 BB/9 and a 52 percent groundball rate in 178 2/3 frames (66 appearances, 20 starts) between Colorado and Atlanta.

For however long Hale sticks with the Yankees, he’ll serve as bullpen depth for a club that has seen Adam Warren, Tommy Kahnle and Luis Cessa go to the disabled list in recent days.

AL East Notes: Rays, Red Sox, Orioles, Peterson

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Given the loss of Kevin Kiermaier for upwards of three months and an ugly 4-12 start to the season, the Rays ought to be open to selling veteran pieces right now rather than waiting until the summer, opines Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. While there’s some logic to hold onto Chris Archer until later this year, particularly given his advantageous contract, Topkin argues in favor of trading other veterans such as Wilson Ramos, Adeiny Hechavarria, Alex Colome and Denard Span in the near future. Beyond that, however, Topkin posits that the Rays should make those moves as a means of paving way for well-regarded prospects like Willy Adames, Christian Arroyo and Jake Bauers, rather than just swapping out their veteran assets for stopgaps and replacement-level fillers. With the Rays already 9.5 games out of first place in the division, Baseball Prospectus pegs Tampa Bay’s postseason odds at just seven percent, while Fangraphs’ projections give the Rays a minuscule 0.2 percent chance of even securing a Wild Card berth.

  • WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford takes a look back at the Red Sox’ efforts to sign Shohei Ohtani out of high school back in 2013, chatting with then-Red Sox scouts Jon Deeble and Eddie Romero about their initial meeting with Ohtani. (Deeble is now the Dodgers’Pacific Rim director, while Romero is an assistant GM in Boston.) Both men recall Boston’s tireless pursuit of the player who Romero describes as “the best pitching prospect I had ever seen.” Ben Cherington, the Red Sox’ GM at the time, gave Deeble and Romero the green light to pursue Ohtani as aggressively as possible — including an agreement to let him develop as a two-way player if he signed with Boston. The Red Sox and Dodgers, Deeble suggests, would likely have been the finalists for Ohtani had he signed with a big league club out of high school, but NPB’s Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters were ultimately able to convince Ohtani to begin his professional career in his home country. Bradford’s column is full of quotes from Deeble and Romero on Ohtani as an amateur and a very interesting pursuit, which makes for a fun look back at what might have been.
  • Jonathan Schoop’s injury could push the Orioles to look outside the organization for some infield depth, writes Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. Kubatko notes that the O’s have held interest in Erick Aybar in the past, and the longtime Angels shortstop is currently unsigned after spending much of Spring Training with the Twins. Kubatko also indicates that the Orioles had interest in bringing Jace Peterson aboard after his DFA from the Yankees, but the Yanks were able to bring him back on board by offering a more lucrative split contract to the utilityman. “A number of teams” had interest in Peterson, per Kubatko, but he’ll remain in the Bronx for the time being.

Yankees Re-Sign Jace Peterson To Major League Contract

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The Yankees announced that they’ve re-signed infielder/outfielder Jace Peterson to a Major League contract. The ISE Baseball client will be active for tonight’s game.

New York designated Peterson for assignment last week, and the 27-year-old formally rejected an outright assignment to Triple-A today in favor of free agency. Obviously, the two sides quickly worked to broker a new pact that’ll at least buy Peterson a bit more big league service time, though it still seems likely to be a short-term move.

Peterson collected three hits in 10 trips to the plate with the Yankees in his brief time at the Major League level with them, though the bulk of his career has been spent with the Braves. Atlanta originally acquired Peterson as part of the trade that sent Justin Upton to the Padres, and he spent parts of three seasons there, hitting a combined .240/.326/.342 with 15 homers, 48 doubles and eight triples in 1220 MLB plate appearances.

It’s a bit curious to see Peterson go through this carousel of roster machinations, though the entire scenario comes down to the fact that the Yankees needed his roster spot earlier last week in order to add another center-field option to their injury-depleted outfield mix. Peterson’s roster spot went to Shane Robinson, who was quickly designated once Aaron Hicks was active. With a healthier outfield mix now in place, Peterson again fits into the Yankees’ short-term plans, though the impending return of Brandon Drury and the eventual promotion of Gleyber Torres makes it unlikely that he’ll be around as a long-term bench piece in the Bronx.

Jace Peterson Elects Free Agency

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Yankees infielder Jace Peterson has elected free agency after clearing waivers, Chris Cotillo of SB Nation reports via Twitter. The 27-year-old Peterson was designated for assignment on Tuesday to make room for Shane Robinson, who has since been outrighted off the club’s roster.

It’s certainly been a steady fall from prospect status for Peterson, who not long ago was considered a potential second baseman of the future for a Braves club that acquired him as one of the key pieces in the second Justin Upton trade. Though he seemed to have some upside as a utility player as recently as last season, he’s only got a .234/.320/.331 career batting line. That’s likely a large part of the reason that the Braves decided to non-tender him this past winter rather than pay him a relatively meager projected salary of $1.1MM.

Peterson wasn’t given much of a chance with the Yankees, even though he collected a walk and three hits during his brief ten plate appearance tenure in the Bronx. He came up to fill in around the infield when Brandon Drury was placed on the DL, but the presence of Ronald Torreyes made him expendable. Peterson will now seek to latch on with a new club in need of a utility infielder.

Yankees Designate Jace Peterson, Select Shane Robinson

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The Yankees have designated utilityman Jace Peterson for assignment, per a club announcement. His roster spot will go to outfielder Shane Robinson, whose contract was selected, as Joel Sherman of the New York Post first reported on Twitter.

Peterson, 27, helped fill out the Yankees roster as injuries interfered with the club’s plans. But the former Braves infielder never seemed likely to hang on all season long. The Yankees seem pleased to utilize Ronald Torreyes as a reserve in the infield and obviously have other ideas for the outfield mix.

By adding Robinson, the Yanks will add another center field-capable player to the roster while awaiting the returns of Aaron Hicks and Jacoby Ellsbury. While Robinson has never hit much and surely won’t start now that he’s 33 years of age, he has plenty of experience coming off the bench and lining up at any of the three outfield positions.

Yankees Place C.C. Sabathia, Brandon Drury On 10-Day DL

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The Yankees have placed left-hander C.C. Sabathia and infielder Brandon Drury on the 10-day disabled list, the team announced.  Sabathia has been sidelined with a right hip strain, while Drury is suffering from severe migraines.  Right-handers Domingo German and Luis Cessa were recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in corresponding moves.  Righty Jonathan Holder was also optioned to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to create more 25-man roster space for infielder Jace Peterson, who has been signed to a Major League contract and selected from Triple-A.

Some roster-shuffling was expected in the wake of the Yankees’ 14-inning marathon with the Orioles on Friday, particularly since the two teams have a quick turn-around for this afternoon’s 12:05PM CT start.  Cessa and German will provide some fresh arms to a New York bullpen that had to work 10 innings last night after Sabathia’s start was limited to just four innings due to his injury.

He told reporters (including MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch) that “It was sore, and I never felt that spot before, ever, throwing a baseball.”  An MRI revealed no serious damage, however, and since the Yankees are off on Monday, Sabathia could end up missing just one start if he spends only the minimum 10 days on the DL.  Given Sabathia’s lengthy injury history, the DL placement could be something of a precautionary move on New York’s part, particularly since a roster spot was needed for an extra reliever.

Drury also had an early exit from last night’s game, leaving in the sixth inning due to migraines and impaired vision.  Such injuries are often difficult to attach to a timeframe, though it’s possible Drury could also be facing a minimal DL stint.

The Yankees have been hit hard by injuries in the early going, with Sabathia and Drury joining Greg Bird, Aaron Hicks, Jacoby Ellsbury, Clint Frazier, Ben Heller, and Billy McKinney on an already-crowded disabled list.  If that array of names wasn’t lengthy enough, Gary Sanchez and Tyler Wade also left Friday’s game due to a calf cramp and flu-like symptoms, respectively, though there isn’t yet any word on their status.  Sanchez obviously wasn’t going to start today anyway after catching 13-plus innings yesterday, though Austin Romine is the only other available catcher on New York’s active roster.

Cessa or German could potentially make a spot start in Sabathia’s place, while Drury’s spot will be filled more directly by Peterson, who originally signed a minor league deal with the Yankees in January.  That original minors pact would have guaranteed Peterson $900K if he reached the big leagues (it’s fair to assume that his new MLB contract contains similar terms).  The four-year veteran has a .234/.319/.331 slash line over 1278 career plate appearances with the Padres and Braves.  Peterson’s left-handed bat allows him to platoon with righty-swingers Ronald Torreyes and Miguel Andujar at third base, plus he could also see some action at second base depending on Wade’s status.

Yankees To Sign Jace Peterson

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The Yankees have agreed to a minors pact with infielder Jace Peterson, according to SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo (via Twitter). The 27-year-old will receive an invitation to MLB camp this spring and can earn at a $900K rate in the majors, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag tweets.

Peterson, 27, figures to have a chance at earning a role in the Yankees’ infield rotation, which remains in flux after the organization dealt away veterans Chase Headley and Starlin Castro earlier this winter. It’s still possible that the organization will add some significant pieces, but Peterson could contend for a reserve position regardless.

The Braves could have retained Peterson via arbitration at a projected rate of just $1.1MM. But Atlanta decided it was time to move on after a year in which he slashed just .215/.318/.317 over 215 plate appearances.

If things work out, the Yanks could yet control Peterson for two or more seasons through the arb process. Peterson has just 3.003 years of service, so if he spends a bit of time in the minors to open the year, it’s possible he’d still have three years of control ahead of him.

It’s worth remembering that Peterson was not long ago considered a quality prospect. And he did turn in a .254/.350/.366 output, with 52 walks against 69 strikeouts, over 408 plate appearances in 2016. Peterson has also shown wide platoon splits; while that doesn’t bode well for his potential to one day turn into a regular, it does suggest that he could be more useful to an organization that is able to pair him with other players.

Braves Non-Tender Matt Adams, Jace Peterson, Danny Santana

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The Braves have cleared three spots on their 40-man roster, with new GM Alex Anthopoulos cutting loose some position players even as he has moved to add multiple pitchers. First baseman Matt Adams and infielders Jace Peterson and Danny Santana have been non-tendered, the club announced.

These were the Braves players identified as possible non-tender candidates recently by MLBTR, and it turned out that all were cut loose. There was talk heading into today’s deadline that Atlanta was working to find a trade involving Adams, at least, though that obviously never came together.

Adams, a slugging first baseman, impressed enough upon landing with the Braves in the middle of 2017 that the team shifted Freddie Freeman to third base when he returned from injury. But the love affair was short-lived, as the 29-year-old Adams cooled off and settled into part-time usage. Though he finished well in September, that came in rather sparing duty.

The lefty swinging Adams ended the 2017 season with a quality overall output: 19 home runs and a .271/.315/.543 slash during his 100-game run with the Braves. But he has continued to struggle against left-handed pitching and has not shown much aptitude in the outfield, greatly limiting his function as a roster piece. At a projected $4.6MM rate of pay, the numbers just did not work out.

The other two players bring plenty in versatility but quite a bit less with the bat. Peterson, 27, was once seen as a possible future second baseman for the Braves. He turned in a solid 2016 season but scuffled to a .215/.318/.317 slash in 215 plate appearances in 2017. Similarly, the 27-year-old Santana — like Adams, an early-season addition — mustered only a .203/.245/.357 output in his 152 trips to the plate on the year. Though Peterson and Santana each projected to earn only $1.1MM in arbitration, the club evidently felt there was not enough upside to tie up roster spots and commit money to these players.

NL East Notes: Marlins Sale, Morgan, Peterson

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The Bruce Sherman/Derek Jeter group that has submitted the winning bid to purchase the Marlins from Jeffrey Loria now has its finances “in better shape” and could secure the league approval that it requires in a matter of weeks, if not days, Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reports. The Sherman-Jeter group has raised $800MM of the $1.2 billion sale price and will take on $400MM of debt as things presently stand. Sherman will be the control person and own 46 percent of the team, while Jeter’s title will be CEO, and he’ll own about four percent of the team. While the sale of the franchise has been a seemingly interminable process, it appears that the new ownership group could formally be in place before the conclusion of the postseason. Sherman and Jeter will need approval from 23 of the 29 other owners throughout the league

More from the division…

  • CSNPhilly.com’s Jim Salisbury profiles Phillies left-hander Adam Morgan and his rise to prominence in the Philadelphia bullpen in 2017. Morgan explains to Salisbury that he nearly retired from baseball early in the year, having gone through difficulty recovering from shoulder surgery and again being optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. “I’m such a simple guy that it’s the little things that make me happy,” said Morgan. “Being with my family makes me happy, cutting the grass makes me happy. I’d think to myself, ’Why am I showing up to the field and I’m not happy?” Morgan ultimately decided to finish the year. Along the way, his velocity returned, and he altered the grip on his slider to dramatically improve the pitch’s effectiveness. Over his past 24 innings, Morgan has averaged 95.2 mph on his fastball and allowed just two runs with a 28-to-4 K/BB ratio. Salisbury’s column is full of candid, thoughtful quotes from Morgan and is an excellent look at the human side of the game.
  • Jace Peterson is now focusing on improving in the outfield so that he can become a versatile utility piece of the Braves for years to come, writes MLB.com’s Chris Bumbaca. While there may have been hope that he could fill an everyday role shortly after Peterson was acquired from the Padres in the Justin Upton deal, both Peterson and Braves skipper Brian Snitker agree that his long-term role is likely an oft-used, defensively versatile bench piece and pinch-hitter. The 27-year-old Peterson is hitting .219/.315/.326 this year and has seen at least 50 innings at second base, third base, first base and in left field (plus 34 innings at short and a few short cameos in center and right).
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