Western Nevada College alum DJ Peters gets the call from LA Dodgers
Submitted by Carson Now Reader on Wed, 04/28/2021 - 12:40pm
DJ Peters' phone rang this past weekend, and it was the kind of call every prospect dreams of getting. The call to the show. Peters, 25, got the chance the 4th round LA Dodgers pick, has always dreamt about since playing in his backyard at his Glendora home.
He now gets a chance to don a Dodgers uniform with PETERS sewn on the back. He now gets to hear the PA announcer loudly pronounce his name for all to hear that he is coming to the plate in Dodger Stadium. It’s obviously a dream just to be drafted, but to be drafted by your childhood team you've always rooted for? That feeling is on a whole other level.
Peters was called up on April 23 from the Dodgers alternative training site (COVID AAA) and Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts wasted no time in getting his rookie into the action as Peters got a pinch hit at-bat that same night in the ninth inning. If that was not good enough for Peters’ fans, Roberts started the rook the next night against the division rival Padres in centerfield.
To finish out the series on Sunday, Peters came off the bench to take over defensively in the outfield. The biggest part of the game was when Peters got an at-bat that his manager wanted him to experience. A bottom of the 10th and bases loaded situation. Peters did end up striking out, but the point is, Roberts gave his rookie the chance and that is a message all should take that Roberts has confidence in Peters.
Peters was drafted in the 4th round of the 2016 MLB Draft (Peters was also drafted in the two previous drafts before ultimately returning to school) becoming one of more than 3 dozen players to be drafted out of the Western Nevada College baseball program that came to an end after the 2016 season.
36 Wildcats were drafted over the 11 years of the program. 6 of those were top 10 round selections with Cole Rohrbough who signed for 1st round money after being drafted by Atlanta in the 22nd round. 26 of those drafted went onto sign professional contracts. 2 other players signed free agent contracts without being drafted (Evan Parker and Cody Hamlin)
The number of players drafted out of the powerhouse program, led by head coach DJ Whittemore, was more than the University of Nevada, Reno had drafted in the same timeframe (2006-2016).
Peters, with this callup to the show, became the third WNC alum to make it to the majors. Mason Tobin, who pitched for the Wildcats in 2006, made his major league debut for the Texas Rangers in 2011. Mason had 4 appearances for the Rangers.
The other former Wildcat to be called up was pitcher Tim Peterson, who had a good sample size for the New York Metropolitans in 2018. Tim had 22 appearances that season and posted a 2-2 record. Peterson the next season made 6 appearances for New York.
DJ Peters is still looking for that first major league hit, and he will get it. It may be sooner rather than later as the Dodgers have put him back at the alternative training site, but he remains on the depth chart and the 40-man roster.
In my time with DJ Peters (we need to do another interview DJ ha!), he is a humble guy who will run through a brick wall to do what he has to do to get better. He is a laser focused player that any coach of a high school or college team should have their players look to for an example.
WNC Baseball head coach DJ Whittemore had this to say: “DJ Peters is the perfect player to coach. He is incredibly talented, but he matched his talent with his desire to be improved, his willingness to put in the hard work to make improvements. He was a great teammate and played to win rather than accumulate statistics or awards. He was unselfish, humble, driven, coachable, and clearly gifted. Nobody deserves their success more than DJ. He has earned everything — taken nothing for granted — and given credit to those around him although truth be told other than his family, he deserves all the credit for his success because he puts in the time.”
