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David Peterson Excited to Begin Pro Career in Brooklyn

By Jacob Resnick

July 16, 2017 4 Comments

(Jacob Resnick/Mets Minors)

For most players in the Mets’ organization who pass through Brooklyn’s MCU Park, the proximity to the parent club’s home stadium (20.4 miles, to be exact) is an immense source of pressure. For the team’s 2017 first round draft pick, David Peterson, it’s just another challenge.

“Obviously playing at Citi Field is the ultimate goal,” said Peterson, speaking to the media as a member of the Cyclones for the first time. “So I’m just excited to be close to there and start my career here.”

Peterson joins Brooklyn after a three-year career at the University of Oregon, where he finished sixth in the school’s history in wins (19), and second in strikeouts with 282.

That mark would have been 262, had he not put up the foremost performance of his career on April 20, 2017.

“Stuff-wise, I felt like I had everything working, and could throw anything I wanted to at any time,” said Peterson of his 20-whiff outing against Arizona State. I didn’t know how many strikeouts I had while the game was going on, I found out after the game when I got interviewed, but I knew the number was going to be up there. I just felt like everything kind of clicked.”

The Cyclones certainly hope Peterson can harness some of that same magic once he begins pitching in games for Brooklyn, which will not be for another two weeks or so, as the Mets mandate all of their draft picks to first participate in a ten-day throwing program. When that time does come, however, manager Edgardo Alfonzo hopes the organization’s new shiny toy will contribute to some team victories.

“Hopefully all he brings are good things,” Alfonzo said. “Right now though his main thing is to learn and get his work in.”

Brooklyn will take all they can get from Peterson, as entering the team entered Sunday’s contest last in the New York-Penn League in ERA and home runs allowed, and among the worst in hits and WHIP.

The Mets are banking on a swift rise through the minor leagues for Peterson, who recognized the club’s history of developing premier hurlers.

“Being in an organization that embraces pitching and wants to have great pitching is exciting and encouraging for me,” said the 21-year-old. “I’m definitely happy that the organization likes to take care of their pitchers and that they take a lot of pride in it.”

The Cyclones are currently 6-19, last in the NYPL’s McNamara division.

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