Peterson bounced from Purdue to Wabash Valley (Ill.) CC to Connecticut in four years of college, earning All-America honors in his final season in 2022 when he ranked second in NCAA Division I with 11 wins and third with a Huskies-record 147 strikeouts in 110 1/3 innings. His performance stood out more than his stuff, so he lasted until Cleveland drafted him in the ninth round. He shook off a so-so 2023 pro debut to lead the Minors with 14 victories and a 0.89 WHIP last year while placing second in K/BB ratio (7.6) and walk rate (4 percent) and advancing to Double-A.
Relying heavily on deception, Peterson uses his 6-foot-6 frame to create plenty of extension and has the feel to manipulate the ball to produce three solid secondary pitches. His low-80s slider and upper-70s curveball both feature downward action, as does his fading mid-80s changeup, and all three elicit a lot of chases. He has added strength since turning pro and his fastball has gained a couple of ticks velocity to average 92 mph and top out at 95, and it's effective when he locates it up in the zone.
Repeating his easy three-quarters delivery with precision, Peterson has the best control and command in the system. He'll still have to prove he can keep Triple-A and big league hitters off his fastball and get them to fish outside the zone for his secondary pitches, which he can fall in low with a bit too much at times. He comes with a high floor as a likely back-of-the-rotation option, and the Guardians believe they can help him find more velocity and ceiling.
