Dodgers 2018 top prospects: No. 6, D.J. Peters

The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes are no strangers to having players sit atop the California League leaderboard in home runs, and D.J. Peters made it three years in a row of a top 3 finisher. The two previous sluggers ahead of Peters took divergent paths after their big home run seasons, and Peters will have to work to cut down his swing and miss to follow in Cody Bellinger’s footsteps, or else he might find himself returning to High-A a la Johan Mieses. Like Bellinger, Peters’ profile is much more than just hulking slugger, so optimism abounds for this year’s sixth-ranked prospect. Enough so that his name was mentioned quite frequently during Spring Training with the big league club.

Simply put, D.J. Peters is the most physically impressive prospect in the organization. Listed at 6’6 and 225 lbs., Peters carries his weight extremely well, as he’s capable of playing all three outfield positions. He has more long speed than quickness, which plays out better on defense than it does stealing bases. He won’t need much more physical development before being major league ready, though he might slow down and settle in an outfield corner as he adds his adult weight.

With a mostly upright batting stance, Peters’ height gives him a large strike zone and he will likely face inflated strike out numbers because of that. That said, cutting back a 31% K rate from 2017 against better pitching in Double A should be Peters’ greatest challenge. He’s not an indiscriminate hacker, walking in almost 11% of his plate appearances in the California League, but Peters’ swing mechanics are geared for power and he may require small adjustments to plane to keep his bat in the hitting zone longer in the upper levels.

As mentioned, Peters sells out for power with a steep, uppercut, almost buggy-whip style swing. He has good bat speed and will catch up to plus fastballs. His biggest issue is commanding a large strike zone with a swing that doesn’t stay in the hitting zone as long as it could given his length and extension. He doesn’t quite have the pitch recognition of Bellinger to get away with this as consistently as Cody does, and Peters could be a frustrating hitter for some people as a guy that might hover around a .250 average, but produces plenty of pop.

The power, however, is quite bountiful. Few players hit the ball as hard as Peters, and D.J. should put up impressive exit velocity numbers. Peters’ power can play to all fields, but his swing is geared for pull and he will likely pepper the Tulsa party pavilion seats in left field all season. Peters’ batted ball profile (34% fly ball against 37% ground ball) and exit velocity allow him to make the most of his contact. Six of his eight hits went for extra bases in the Arizona Fall League, so even though he hit .190, he still contributed a .770 OPS in limited time.

Peters’ athleticism and versatility give him a leg up on the traditional hulking slugger profile. Right handed power has been in demand in the major leagues, and Peters could fill any of three outfield positions early in his career, with an arm that profiles in right, but enough range to satisfy in center. Additionally, his understanding of the strike zone, even one as large as his, should prevent him from becoming completely unraveled at the plate like several of the indiscriminate hackers that come out of the California League with big power totals.

Peters was a much tougher punch out in college, and the Dodgers have pushed him aggressively up the ladder, so his pitch recognition might still have more room for growth as he settles into the upper levels, which could make him an elite slugger. It’s more likely a safer bet to peg Peters’ future somewhere lower than that, but righty pop that can handle center and still hit 30 home runs despite a .250 average has multi-win value in the MLB.

“He’s a guy who is very intense, very driven and he does it in all phases of his work. He does it shagging, in the weight room, his work in the cage, and in the game,” manager Dave Roberts said of Peters in spring training. “He’s a young player, but he’s going to will himself to the big leagues and stay for a long time.”

Peters will put his rising prospect star to the test in Double-A in 2018. He could easily climb up national prospect lists with another big home run showing, and the home hitting environment (short distance to straightaway left) should help his cause. The impact he puts on the ball on contact will allow him to live with a high twentieth percentile strikeout rate, but he will need to make improvement on last season’s K numbers to keep the Joc Pederson whispers down.