With the 2016 MLB First-Year Player Draft now two months behind us and with the Dodgers having signed all but 10 of their 42 draft picks, things are finally beginning to settle down in the Dodgers low minors.

As is usually the case, kids drafted out of high school generally land with the Arizona Rookie League Dodgers and kids selected out of college (and junior college) usually begin their professional careers with the Ogden Raptors of the short-season Pioneer Rookie League.

As is also usually the case and with the Raptors now 43 games into their 76-game season, the cream has risen to the top and standing the tallest – literally and figuratively – is 6′-6″ / 225-pound, 20-year-old outfielder D.J. Peters.

Peters was selected by the Dodgers in the fourth round of the 2016 draft out of Western Nevada College in Carson City and to put it bluntly, the Glendora, California native and lifelong Dodger fan is flat out raking.

Although only 20 years old, Glendora’s D.J. Peters appears to have gone about as far as he can go at the rookie league level. (Photo courtesy of @8Peters)

In his 36 games with the Raptors thus far, Peters has amassed a slash-line of .366 / .455 / .620 for an off-the-charts OPS of 1.074. And if this isn’t enough to float your boat, along with his team-leading batting average, he also leads the Raptors in runs scored (33), doubles (13) and is second in home runs (7) and third in RBIs (22). He was also one of three players selected to represent the Raptors at the just-completed Northwest League – Pioneer League All-Star Game in which he was named the Pioneer League’s Most Valuable Player.

Although the Pioneer Rookie League is normally a perfect fit for a 20-year-old kid drafted out of college and in his first professional season, Peters continues to show that perhaps he needs a bigger challenge … say… like… maybe the Great Lakes Loons of the Low Single-A Midwest League. And while it is well understood and accepted that moving a kid along too quickly is often a recipe for disaster, Peters has given and continues to give every indication that he is up for the challenge.

Realistically, with only 33 games remaining for the Raptors the chances of a promotion to Great Lakes seems unlikely for Peters. But should the stars align just right and should a vacancy pop up due to an injury or other reason at the higher levels, the Dodgers would be making a big mistake if they didn’t give D.J. Peters a long hard look as potentially being the next guy up.