LOS ANGELES – Braves second baseman Jace Peterson made a diving catch Monday night that amazed just about everyone at Dodger Stadium, including shortstop extraordinaire Andrelton Simmons, who called it the best catch he'd seen this year.
With a runner at first and one out in the third inning, and the Braves trailing 1-0, Peterson raced into right field on a pop-up off the bat of Adrian Gonzalez, and at the last moment leaped and laid out to catch the ball with his body and glove hand fully extended, then held onto it as he landed hard on the outfield grass.
The play showed up near the top of ESPN’s Plays of the Day, where Simmons is a regular fixture and Peterson has also landed a couple of times in his first full season in the majors.
Best play he’s made in pro ball?
“I don’t know,” Peterson said. “It’s definitely up there.”
For Peterson, it was a catch that took him back to his football-playing days at McNeese State University, where he was a defensive back for three years before putting aside football to pursue a pro baseball career with the Padres (he came to the Braves as part of the Justin Upton trade in January).
“I like going to get it, no doubt,” he said. “When that ball goes up, you get to run it down. Honestly, it’s just like (football). You’ve just got to go get it. I love going to get it.”
Watching from the Braves dugout, bench coach Carlos Tosca and third-base coach Bo Porter had a similar thought as the play unfolded.
“The comment in the dugout, from Carlos and Bo, was if this guy hadn’t played football in college, that play would never be made,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “Because you sell out (to make catches) all the time (in football).
“He fights. He battles. He’ll figure out a way. You’ve got to like that spirit that those guys have.”
Peterson has been one of the more promising developments of the season so far for the Braves. He won an opening-day roster spot with a strong spring training, then took over as primary second baseman after initially operating in a platoon at the start of the season.
After batting .171 with two RBIs, four walks and a .239 OBP and .220 slugging percentage in his first 15 games, Peterson hit .305 (29-for-95) with 16 RBIs, 12 walks and a .380 OBP and .358 slugging percentage in his past 26 games. All while steadily improving his defense.
“Obviously (infield instructor) Terry (Pendleton) has done a terrific job with him, and Carlos points out things that he needs to polish up,” Gonzalez said. “But that’s just part of playing the game. I think around the bag he’s getting a little bit better on double-play balls. But again, that’s just part of playing the game. He’s receptive, he’s smart, he wants to learn and he works at it.”
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