FORT MYERS, Fla. – When free-agent signee Alberto Callaspo reported to spring training clearly overweight and out of shape, there was concern among Braves officials regarding second base, where he was viewed as the likely lineup regular to start the season.
But as Callaspo has gone 3-for-26 with no walks in nine games as he tries to work his way into condition, the emergence of prospect Jace Peterson has served to mitigate any worries about the position. It also made it easier for the Braves to send down top prospect Jose Peraza this week after the 20-year-old went 1-for-16 and looked a bit overmatched in Grapefruit League games.
Peterson, one of four prospects acquired from the Padres in the Justin Upton trade, continued an impressive camp Tuesday by going 1-for-3 with a double , a walk and a stolen base, and also made two smooth plays to start a pair of 4-6-3 double plays in an 11-3 win against the Red Sox.
Afterward, Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez was asked about Peterson and shortstop Andrelton Simmons appearing to be in synch despite not playing much together due to Simmons’ recent strained oblique. The manager’s response seemed to indicate that Peterson had put himself in a favorable position in the competition for the opening-day second base job.
“I’m going to try to play those guys (Peterson and Simmons) as much as I can, and we will,” Gonzalez said. “They’ll get plenty of reps (repetitions) between the games and practice and fungoes. They’ll be fine.”
Peterson, 24, has hit .346 (9-for-26) with two doubles and five walks in 10 Grapefruit League games. He has experience at three infield positions (all but first base), and last season he batted .307 with a .402 OBP and 33 extra-base hits (three homers) in 86 games in 86 minor league games including 68 in Triple-A.
“He’s a scrappy little player,” said Braves starter Shelby Miller, who pitched four scoreless innings Tuesday. “I like the way he plays. He puts a ton of effort into the game, which is what you want to see. He’s definitely making a name for himself.”
Peterson and shortstop Andrelton Simmons haven’t had a lot of time to work together, but you wouldn’t know from watching them in Tuesday’s game when they turned those 4-6-3 double plays like they’d done it together plenty of times before.
“He looked better than me out there,” said Simmons, a two-time Gold Glove winner regarded as the best defensive shortstop in baseball, and perhaps the best defender, period.
Simmons’ self-deprecating humor was a reference to an error he made Tuesday, on a ground ball that bounced off the heel of Simmons’ glove. But he was serious about Peterson’s game.
“He looked good,” Simmons said. “Jace played good defense, had a couple of long at-bats, so all-in-all pretty good…. He had a couple of ground balls for double plays, turned them pretty easy.”
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