NEWSLETTER
Lately I have been asked about Dodgers Triple A outfielder Joc Pederson more than any non-Cubs prospect. The closer we get to trade season, the more it seems Cubs fans are looking around for players who could come back in a Jeff Samardzija or Jason Hammel deal, and would have the potential to reach the majors quickly, preferably in a position of need.
Pederson, 22, fits that description. The Dodgers have been loosely linked to Samardzija in trade rumors, and Pederson, a top 50 prospect in the game, is a left handed slugging outfielder currently in Triple A. For all the firepower in the Cubs minors, they are a little thin in left handed power. This appears to be a good fit.
The problem, as is often the case with these slugging Triple A types, is the strikeout rate. Pederson’s is elevated, but it is currently just shy of the 30% line. Given his ISO of .252 and his walk rate of 16.8%, that is almost tolerable. If we throw out his at bats against left handed pitching (something we knew he struggled with entering this season) though, his strikeout rate drops to a somewhat more adequate 27.5%. That is still high, but we’ve seen hitters with that high of a strikeout percentage in Triple A go on to have quality major league careers in the past.
And after watching Pederson for a short time this weekend, I am starting to suspect that Pederson might join that list. I’m not a scout, but, to my untrained eye, his at bats looked good. His swing was consistent, had a nice plane through the strike zone, and he showed an ability to lay off bad pitches. I don’t think he had a truly bad swing while I was watching him. I was less impressed with him in the field, and I strongly suspect his career as a center fielder will end about as soon as he hits the major leagues, but if he can maintain the slugging he should be just fine in left or right. If he can maintain the slugging and the walks he could emerge as a pretty valuable guy. If the Cubs did deal with the Dodgers, Pederson would be a quality pickup.
I have been more negative on Pederson in the past, and there are other outfield bats out there that I would prefer to welcome to the organization, but I now agree that if the Cubs sent Samardzija to Los Angeles, Pederson would probably need to be part of the returning package.
Scores From Yesterday
Iowa – Iowa took the lead in the fifth and held on for a 4-3 win.
Tennessee – The Smokies fell behind in the first and never quite made up the gap as they lost 7-3.
Daytona – The Cubs were shut out 8-0.
Kane County – Kane County had the day off.
Boise Hawks – Boise continued their struggles on the road with this 12-6 loss.
Arizona – Arizona used a big sixth inning to carry them to a 9-6 win.
Performances of Note
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