Mariners Select Third Baseman DJ Peterson From University Of New Mexico With 12th Overall Pick In 2013 First-Year Player Draft
Peterson won the Mountain West Conference Triple Crown in 2012 and 2013
The Seattle Mariners selected third baseman DJ Peterson from the University of New Mexico with their first selection (12th overall pick) in the 2013 First-Year Player Draft, Director of Amateur Scouting Tom McNamara announced today.
"DJ is one of the top college position players in the draft with tremendous athletic ability," McNamara said. "We look forward to having him in our organization and working his way towards being part of our Major League roster in the future."
Peterson, 21, was named Mountain West Co-Player of the Year with teammate Mitch Garver for the second straight season in 2013. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound infielder won the MW overall triple crown for the second year in a row, batting .408 (89x218) with 68 runs scored, 25 doubles, 4 triples, 18 home runs and 72 RBI in 55 starts during his junior season. Peterson currently ranks third in the nation in home runs, while ranking fourth average (.408) and in RBI (72).
In Baseball America's annual Best Tools survey of the top 100 prospects entering the draft, Peterson was named as the best pure hitter and the second-best power hitter and strike-zone judgment amongst all college players. Peterson was rated as the 15th-best prospect heading into the 2013 draft.
In three years with New Mexico, Peterson hit .381 (271x712) with 164 runs scored 78 doubles, 10 triples, 41 home runs and 198 RBI in 177 games. Peterson tied the Lobos school record with 78 career doubles during his 3-year career, while also finishing third in total bases (492), fourth in both home runs (41) and slugging (.691), and fifth in RBI (198). Peterson also played for the USA Baseball National Team in 2012 where he led the team in home runs (4) and RBI (14).
Peterson graduated from Gilbert High School in Gilbert, AZ. He was a first-team Louisville Slugger All-American after his senior season. Originally selected by Seattle in the 30th round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft, but choose to attend University of New Mexico instead.