Bryan Petersen

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Miami Marlins #18 prospect in 2011
  On the heels of a strong Double-A showing in 2009. Petersen went to the Arizona Fall League and finished fourth in the league in batting at .379. He was hitting .290 at New Orleans last May when he earned his first major league callup, but he struggled off the bench in a couple of stints with Florida. His troubles followed him back to Triple-A, as he lost his short, line-drive stroke and became a bit pull-happy. When it's right, it's one of the lowest-maintenance swings in the system, straight to the ball without a lot of wasted movement. A table-setting leadoff man in 2009, Petersen bounced around the order last year. He won't be a big power producer, though he could hit 10-15 homers per season. Despite above-average speed, he has been a poor basestealer, getting nabbed in 16 of 34 attempts the past two years. He can play all three outfield spots, providing above-average range on the corners, and his plus arm is one of the best in the system. Petersen is smart and plays with a lot of intensity. At worst, he should make a fine fourth outfielder. If his swing returns to form, he may become more than that. He'll try to win a job in Florida's outfield in spring training.
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  Ranked Miami Marlins #11 prospect in 2010
  It said plenty about Petersen's progress when he drew the nod to join the likes of Mike Stanton and Matt Dominguez in the 2009 crop of Marlins at the Arizona Fall League. Petersen responded by finishing fourth in the AFL batting race and hitting .379/.412/.600. His swing was inconsistent and full of holes when he signed as a fourth-round pick in 2007, but thanks to hard work with hitting coordinator John Mallee, Petersen was able to shorten his stroke and cut down on his strikeouts. Not overly blessed with power, he still projects to hit 15 homers per year in the majors. Lefties don't faze him as much as they used to. At worst, he'll hit enough to become a fourth outfielder. He's a plus runner who knows how to use that speed on the bases and via the bunt. A two-way player as a freshman at UC Irvine, Petersen has a strong arm and is an above-average defender on the outfield corners. He played mostly left field in Jacksonville last season, in deference to Stanton and Scott Cousins, but Petersen is fully capable of playing right field. His instincts are sound and he shows a flair for winning. He inspires his teammates with the way he plays all out and grinds out every at-bat. Set to open 2010 in Triple-A New Orleans, he may be closer to being ready for the majors than any outfielder in the system.
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  Ranked Miami Marlins #19 prospect in 2009
  In an organization suddenly teeming with center-field prospects, Petersen shouldn't be overlooked. A fourthround pick in 2007, when he led UC Irvine to the College World Series, he spent part of his first full season in Double-A. He hit .351 in a two-week stint at Carolina, and with all the terrific athletes in the system, it was Petersen who was the lone 20-20 player in 2008. The knock on him always had been his tendency to pile up strikeouts on breaking balls out of the zone, but he cut his whiffs way down in the second half last year. With the help of hitting coordinator John Mallee, he was able to flatten his swing and start spraying line drives into the gaps. He shows power to the pull side but will have more success once he puts aside thoughts of 30-homer seasons. He stays in well against lefties, is proficient at bunting and has a knack for stealing bases with good speed and savvy. Defensively, he isn't at the level of Cameron Maybin or Greg Burns, but Petersen shows solid range and strong instincts. A former college pitcher, he has a strong, accurate arm and a knowledge of how to use it. He has a good chance to begin 2009 in Double-A.