2017 Dodgers review: Peter O’Brien

The Dodgers were the fifth organization for Peter O’Brien in 2017, a busy year for the feast-or-famine slugger.

Coming

O’Brien started the calendar year with the Diamondbacks, but was traded to the Royals in January for minor league pitcher Sam Lewis. In May, O’Brien was claimed off waivers by the Reds, then 11 days later was claimed off waivers by the Rangers. On June 18, the Dodgers claimed the outfielder/first baseman.

He started 26 games at first base for Double-A Tulsa, started five games in left field and once in right field. O’Brien hit .219/.297/.465 with 11 doubles and nine home runs in 45 games with the Drillers, with his usual tools on display.

O’Brien hit a home run every 19.1 plate appearances with Tulsa, almost identical to his career rate in the minors (19.2). He also hit six home runs in 79 major league plate appearances in 2015-16 with Arizona.

O’Brien also struck out a whopping 45.3% of the time with Tulsa, and struck out 36.7% of the time at all of his minor league stops in 2017. For comparison, the highest major league strikeout rate among batters with at least 100 plate appearances in 2017 was 43.8% by Rickie Weeks.

Going

When the Dodgers traded for Tony Watson on July 31, O’Brien was designated for assignment, removing him from the 40-man roster.

O’Brien was sent outright to Double-A on Aug. 4, and finished out his season with Tulsa.

2017 particulars

Age: 26

Stats: .219/.297/.465, 9 HR, 11 doubles in 45 games with Double-A Tulsa

Salary: n/a

Game of the year

In his second game with the Drillers on July 8, O’Brien hit two home runs and drove in four runs in a 13-2 win over Midland (an A’s affiliate).

Roster status

O’Brien remains in the organization, but is not on the 40-man roster.