Joc Pederson hitting a home run at AT&T Field.
photo by Tim Evearitt
With all the attention on the Twins' prospects playing for the Chattanooga Lookouts this season, fans may have overlooked the recent focus being given to Joc Pederson who played 123 games for the 2013 Lookouts, hitting 22 home runs.
Lookouts' fans knew he was good. Few could have imagined this kind of success so early in his career.
The 23 year-old is currently the talk of baseball and being touted as a potential National League Rookie of the year. Still in his first full rookie season, Pederson's 17 homers are the most ever for a Dodgers rookie through 53 games.
Joc Peterson waiting to hit for the Lookouts.
Pederson is already in unchartered territory for a Dodgers rookie slugger after homering in both ends of Tuesday's June 2nd doubleheader split with the Rockies. Pederson also tripled home a tying run in the wild 9-8 nightcap win and finished the twin bill 3-for-8 with four RBIs and home runs in four consecutive games.
The former Lookout did it again Wednesday night, tying a modern-era club record by homering for a fifth consecutive game in the eighth inning of the Dodgers' 7-6 loss to the Rockies.
Pederson went opposite-field this time over the 390-foot sign for his 17th blast. He's the first Dodgers rookie in the modern era to homer in five consecutive games and the first Major League rookie since Caleb Joseph did it last year for the Orioles. Shawn Green, Matt Kemp, and Roy Campanella also homered in five consecutive games.
Pederson reached base four times Wednesday night and scored three runs.
For those impressed by how far a man can hit a baseball, even though this is the mile-high air of Coors Field, Statcast™ projected his first-game homer as landing 477 feet away, MLB's fifth-longest homer this year. It was a two-run shot and provided the bulk of the Dodgers' scoring in a 6-3 loss to the Rockies.
The second-game solo homer also went to center field. Statcast™ projected his second blast at 472 feet, which is the 10th-longest homer this season.
Pederson's at-bats seems to remind current Lookouts' fans of Adam Brett Walker II. It's feast (home run) or famine (strikeouts) and walks.
Pederson gets his money's worth with his powerful swing.
Pederson's first 12 homers were off right-handed pitchers, and the first-game blasts gave him three straight off lefties. Dodgers' manager Don Mattingly said Pederson adjusted well to left-handers last year at Triple-A and Pederson said he was not surprised by his recent slugging against lefties.
Statcast™: Longest home run projected distance in 2015
1. Nelson Cruz, Mariners: 482.6791 ft. April 15 vs. Rangers at Globe Life Park
2. Josh Donaldson, Blue Jays: 481.2337 ft. April 23 vs. Orioles at Rogers Centre
3. Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins: 478.4085 ft. May 16 vs. Braves at Marlins Park
4. Kris Bryant, Cubs: 477.4428 ft. May 26 vs. Nationals at Wrigley Field
5. Joc Pederson, Dodgers: 476.826 ft. June 2 vs. Rockies at Coors Field
6. Brandon Belt, Giants: 475.4028 ft. May 22 vs. Rockies at Coors Field
7. Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins: 474.8186 ft. May 12 vs. Marlins at Dodger Stadium
8. Ryan Braun, Brewers: 474.0424 ft. May 25 vs. Giants at Miller Park
9. Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins. 473.8386 ft. May 15 vs. Braves at Marlins Park
10. Joc Pederson, Dodgers, 471.6 ft. June 2 vs. Rockies at Coors Field
---- Source: MLB.com
Ironically Pederson is a center fielder as is current Lookout and Twins' prospect, Byron Baxter.
photo by Tim Evearitt