NewsMarlins' Petersen powers Solar Sox win
Former fourth-round pick has hit safely in all 12 AFL games
By Brittany Ghiroli / Special to MLB.com
11/02/09 6:08 PM EST
In his first taste of the Arizona Fall League, Marlins prospect Bryan Petersen is settling into the leadoff role quite nicely.Petersen, who has combined with Starlin Castro to form a dangerous duo atop Mesa's lineup, was at it again Monday afternoon, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs in the Solar Sox's 7-2 victory over the Peoria Saguaros at HoHoKam Park.
The Marlins' fourth-round pick in 2007, Petersen started his pro career as a middle-of-the-order hitter before moving to the leadoff spot in '08. Since then, the UC-Irvine alum has made a conscious effort to see more pitches and work opposing starters to the benefit of his teammates.
"I'm just trying to get on base and be a table setter," he said. "[With Castro,] it's been a really good 1-2. It seems like every time I get on, he gets on."
So it's only fitting that the duo leads the AFL in batting average, with Castro hitting .423 and Petersen right behind him at .411. Castro, a Cubs prospect, had a pair of hits and two RBIs in Monday's win and has hit safely in five of his last six games.
Meanwhile, Petersen has a 12-game hitting streak, which stretches over his entire AFL season. The 23-year-old is one of the Marlins' top outfield prospects and has made a steady climb through Florida's farm system.
Last year, he split time between three levels before playing the entire season with Double-A Jacksonville in 2009. In 121 games, Petersen hit .297 with seven homers and 49 RBIs, and he was named Southern League Player of the Week for the week of June 29.
"It's an unbelievable opportunity that the [Marlins] organization gave me," Petersen said of the AFL. "I think it's helpful as a player, and any time you can play against better competition, it can only make you better."
Richard Lentz (Red Sox) allowed one hit over two scoreless relief innings to pick up his first win. A 19th-round pick in the '06 Draft, Lentz struck out two batters and lowered his ERA to 0.84 in six AFL outings. The right-hander has given up just two runs on five hits over 10 2/3 innings for Mesa (6-11).
A pair of Reds prospects stood out for Peoria (8-1) on Monday. Chris Heisey went 2-for-4 with an RBI triple and Yonder Alonso added a pair of hits and drove in a run.
Brittany Ghiroli is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
