Joc Pederson

Joc Pederson
Pederson during batting practice at AT&T Park on May 20, 2015
Los Angeles Dodgers – No. 31
Center fielder
Born: (1992-04-21) April 21, 1992 (age 24) Palo Alto, California
Bats: Left Throws: Left
MLB debut
September 1, 2014, for the Los Angeles Dodgers
MLB statistics (through 2016 season)
Batting average	.224
Home runs	51
Runs batted in	122
On-base percentage	.349
Teams
Los Angeles Dodgers (2014–present)
Career highlights and awards
All-Star (2015)

Joc Russell Pederson (/ˈpiː.dər.sən/ PEE-dər-sən; born April 21, 1992) is an American professional baseball center fielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). His father, Stu Pederson, played for the Dodgers in 1985. Pederson was drafted by the Dodgers in the 11th round of the 2010 MLB Draft, out of Palo Alto High School.

In 2011, he hit .353 while leading the Pioneer League in RBIs and outfield assists, and was both a Pioneer League and Rookie League All Star. In 2012, he was named the Dodgers' "Minor League Player of the Year". By virtue of his Jewish heritage, he played for the Israel national baseball team in the qualifying rounds of the 2013 World Baseball Classic.

In 2013, Pederson was both a mid-season and post-season Southern League All-Star, and led the league in slugging percentage. He was ranked the Dodgers' # 1 prospect by Baseball America after the 2013 season. In 2014 he became the first player in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) in 80 years, and the fourth all-time, to hit 30 homers and steal 30 bases in the same season. That year Pederson led the PCL in runs, home runs, walks, on-base percentage, and OPS, while stealing 30 bases. He was named the PCL Most Valuable Player, to both the mid-season and post-season PCL All-Star teams, and was selected as Baseball America's AAA Player of the Year. In 2015, he was named the 8th-best prospect in baseball by Baseball America. He began the 2015 season as the Dodgers' starting center fielder, and the third-youngest player in the NL. Pederson was selected to the NL team in the 2015 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, and was chosen to start in left field. Pederson made it to the final round of the 2015 Major League Baseball Home Run Derby but lost to Cincinnati Reds third baseman Todd Frazier.