Over the past week, the Dodgers rookie outfielder Joc Pederson has been on a home run tear, but it’s nothing new in his professional career.
In 2011, only his second season in pro ball, Pederson hit 11 home runs in Rookie ball. The following season with Class-A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga Quakes he launched 18 dingers and drove in 70 runs. But he wasn’t done there, as he went yard 22 times in 2013 with Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts.
In 2014, after being promoted to the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes, he bested his career high and took pitchers over the fence 33 times and drove in a minor league career best 78 runs.
But now he is on the biggest stage of his career and he has not let up. The home run machine is at it again as he is tied for first in the National League with nine home runs going into Thursday’s games.
After his first 18 games, Pederson had just two home runs, but over his last ten, including Thursday against the Brewers, he has nine hits, and seven are for home runs. Just an amazing feat for the Dodgers 23-year old rookie sensation.
If he continues his current pace, he would be on track to hit 52 home runs in his first full major league season, which would surpass the rookie record held by Mark McGwire, who hit 49 in 1987 with the Oakland A’s.
David Conde
David is the Co-Founder and Executive Editor of Legends On Deck®, as well as a Co-Host on Legends On Deck Podcast. David was a Senior Editor for MetsMerizedOnline.com, MetsMinors.net and Contributor for Hardballchat.com that spanned from 2010 to 2014. David made his MLB Debut as a writer in June 2014, while covering the NY Mets at Citi Field, for MetsmerizedOnline.com. David also coaches baseball for ages 13-15, a Babe Ruth League team in his local community. David's passion is coaching the game he loves to the future Legends of Tomorrow as well as making available a website that people can have fun sharing and reading. David is also passionate about his career as a Mortgage Loan Officer which allows him to help many families reach their dreams of owning a home. Connect with David via his Social Media pages as he loves to chat all about baseball.
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