Need for a DH
The Diamondbacks made it clear that they were in the market to add another bat to be the primary DH before the season. They ended up signing Pederson to a one-year, $9.5 million deal on January 30. The deal totals a guaranteed $12.5 million and includes a $3 million buyout, with an option of $14 million for next season. If the team and Pederson agree to the option for next season, it works out to two years at $23.5 million.

Hitting with Self-Control
It has been a resurgent year for the 32-year-old. Pederson has shown terrific self-control with his hitting, plate discipline, and selection of pitches. He’s batting .286 through Sunday’s games, the highest average of his 11-year career. Pederson currently has 19 home runs and 52 RBI, and his current .551 slugging percentage is also the highest of his career.

Since the All-Star Break

Pederson has been scorching hot since the All-Star break, batting .350 (14-for-40) with six home runs, 10 runs scored, and 13 RBI in 16 games. Also, to start the month of August, he has four home runs and a 1.276 OPS through nine games. He will certainly be needed down the stretch.

 Respected Leadership

Joc Pederson has been invaluable, but not only for his bat. His leadership is respected by both younger and veteran players. The two-time All-Star has played in 79 playoff games and has been on two World Series-winning teams. Clubhouse leadership happens behind the scenes, and usually outside the public’s view. However, manager Torey Lovullo has commented on how Pederson fits into the Diamondbacks’ culture.

Right Choice
Pederson is being utilized as a player only in platoon opportunities. He has mainly started against right-handed pitchers and has yet to play an inning of defense. However, it must be mentioned that the Diamondbacks made the right choice in bringing him in. While fans may have preferred a reunion with J. D. Martinez, Pederson has put up better numbers. Furthermore, he has won over the fans with his power hitting and his reactions to other teammates’ successes. (Jim Marshall)

Joc is the son of Stu Pederson, who played 12 years of pro baseball after starring at Southern Cal. Just a few of those games were in the Majors, though. They were with the Dodgers in 1985.

Joc was a talented high school football player as a wide receiver and brings that type of toughness to the ball field.

In 2010, his senior year at Palo Alto High School in California, Pederson committed to Southern Cal. But in June, the Dodgers drafted him and provided a $600,000 bonus. So Pederson signed.

In 2011, the Baseball America Prospect Handbook rated Pederson as the 25th-best prospect in the Dodgers organization. They moved him all the way up to #9 in the winter before 2012 spring training. And he was up some more—at #4 in the offseason before 2013 spring camps opened.

Then, in the spring of 2014, they had Joc as the #1 prospect in the Dodgers' farm system. He was #2 in 2015, behind only Cory Seager.

In 2011, Pederson led the Rookie-level Pioneer League in RBIs (64) and finishing second in on-base percentage (.429) and fourth in batting (.353).

In 2012, Joc was named the Dodgers Branch Rickey Minor League Player of the Year.

Joc has a physical, athletic build. He is polished and plays with a blue-collar mentality. He is a grinder with a strong work ethic.

Pederson played on Team Israel for the World Baseball Classic in the fall of 2012, playing for manager Brad Ausmus and coaches Gabe Kapler and Mark Loretta, alongside designated hitter Shawn Green. Israel lost the qualifying final to Spain, while Pederson hit .308 with three steals and three runs in three games. And he was the youngest player on the team.

"It was the first time I played internationally and it was awesome," said Pederson, whose mother is Jewish. "I was able to pick the brains of guys who played so many years in the Major Leagues. Ausmus was real laid back, but he made sure you got after it."

Speaking of his parents, What's the story with the name, Joc?

"My dad just came up with it. They kind of liked the sound," Pederson said. "One of my brothers is Tyger, which my dad got from his college coach, Rod Dedeaux, who called everybody Tiger. And another brother's name is Champ."

Pederson has a special feel for the game. It is fun to watch him play. He has impressive knowledge of how to play the game. There really are not any real weaknesses in his game. And he loves to play. He has always been a guy that's really eager to learn. Joc's blister- and callous-inducing regimen begins before noon.

“It depends on how I feel,” Pederson said.“ I’ll watch some film, maybe take some swings off the tee. If I’m feeling good, there’s a routine I do with (Iowa) hitting coach, Stubby (Franklin Stubbs). Kind of do the routine before we head out to stretch. Then we do stretch, BP, and then before the game, go in and take another round with Stubby, take some flips, and go play the game. I definitely am working on some stuff. If it gets really bad, then I’ll hit after the game too.

"I take pride in all aspects of the game,” he said. “I think I can help put runs on the board and take away runs. I take pride in all aspects.” (Glen Rosales - Baseball America - 9/26/14)

In 2013, Joc led the Southern League in slugging, ranked second in home runs and runs, third in steals and on-base percentage, and fifth in walks. Managers also singled him out as the best defensive outfielder and most exciting player in the league.

In 2013, Joc's brother Tyger was drafted in the 33rd round.

Pederson gained his strong work ethic from his parents. He has a real drive to be the best at what he does every day.

In 2015, Pederson lived with his childhood friend David DiPaola, and DiPaola's girlfriend, Kelsea Smith, in a condo in Sherman Oaks, a sleepy San Fernando Valley suburb a 30-minute drive from Dodgers stadium. It's not the place you might expect a single 23-year-old to land in L.A., but Pederson's choice to stay away from the glitzier parts of town makes perfect sense to anyone who knows him. "If you're young and living in L.A., if you want to make time for it, you can be partying every day," says DiPaola. "But that's not who he is."

Away from the park, Pederson is a fairly typical 23-year-old, who shops for dinner at Whole Foods, unwinds by playing "Call of Duty" and has the TV tuned to SportsCenter at all hours. "We were watching ESPN when Bryce Harper had that three home-run-day," says DiPaola, "and we saw the first one, and he's like, 'Oh my God, that's unbelievable.' And I'm like, 'Well, Joe, you hit two home runs tonight—that's pretty cool too.'"

Part of his daily ritual away from the park is to call the people he refers to as "my mentors." They include his father, who lives with Joe's mother, Shelley, in Palo Alto. And Mashore, who was Pederson's outfield coach in 2014 at Triple A Albuquerque, where Pederson was the first 30/30 player in the Pacific Coast League in 80 years. "It's part of his process and part of what makes him successful," says Mashore. "He listens to everyone, figures out what's going to work for him and applies it." (SI - June 1, 2015)

In 2015, Pederson was selected to the MLB All-Star Game as a rookie.

Pederson learned the game from his father along with elder brother Tyger. Stu Pederson erected a batting cage in the backyard of the family’s home in Palo Alto, California, led drills and viewed videos of elite hitters with his boys.

When Stu coached for Palo Alto and Cupertino High Schools in Northern California, the brothers would serve as the batboys.

“We’d enjoy the moment. Later we realized how fortunate we are to have a dad to teach us all those lessons from a young age,” said Tyger, an infielder for the San Rafael Pacifics, an independent team based north of San Francisco. Tyger is being recruited to work as a coach in the Israel Association of Baseball.

Said Joc of their father, who coached during the summer of 2015 in Alaska, “It was just good father-son bonding time. I wouldn’t be where I am without him.”

The boys have a younger sister, Jacey, a high school soccer star who has accepted a scholarship to play at UCLA. Their eldest sibling, brother Champ, nearly stole the show at the Home Run Derby. (Hillel Kuttler - 9/11/2015)

"My expectations for myself are higher than anybody else's," Pederson said late in 2016 spring training. "There's stuff that I expect myself to be able to do, and if it's not, I'm going to find a way to get the job done."

Pederson's father, Stu, was an outfielder who got to the big leagues for eight games with the Dodgers in 1985. An older brother, Tyger, played college baseball and chased his dreams in an independent league last year. But it's Joc's oldest brother, Champ, who drives him.

Born with Down syndrome, Champ was on the field at Great American Ball Park during the Home Run Derby in 2015. He received a bear hug from Albert Pujols, whose daughter Isabella also has the genetic condition, while cheering on Joc.

"You know that he and other people with Down syndrome would do anything to just have a normal day where they could go out there and play," Pederson said. "You can never take this for granted. He's an everyday reminder of how fortunate I am, how blessed I am to play a game every day."  (Rogers - MLB.com - 3/22/16)

May 27, 2016: Nearly a month after Joc didn't get a picture at Dodger Stadium with one of his all-time favorite baseball players as a youth while growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, he just received the next-best thing. Well, sort of. Let's just say Barry Bonds was on the other end of the phone with Pederson, and baseball's career home run leader was a little perplexed.

Pederson told Fox Sports Live with Jay & Dan that he was "a mental head case" during a home game against the Marlins in April after he approached Bonds (the Marlins hitting coach) for a picture beforehand, only to watch the former Giants slugger turn his back without comment.

The thing is, Bonds said he doesn't remember that happening.

"I got a phone call from somebody about it, and I said, 'What? I did what?' So I just called the young man up and I apologized, because that's what he felt took place," Barry said. "What was really funny about that situation is that I didn't even know that it happened. I don't like talking to the media about these things, but I'm telling you about the phone call and that I apologized to the kid, because I've never done anything to a ballplayer like that in my life. How do the young kids say it nowadays? I didn't mean to 'dis' him. So I made a point today to call him up and apologize."

"He apologized and I accept his apology. It's all good," Pederson said. "Surprised? Yeah. It was very nice of him and I appreciated the call, appreciated him reaching out to call and clear things up."

Bonds expressed to Pederson that he wished the matter could have been addressed privately.

"I told him, 'It's an unfortunate situation that you felt you had to go to the media to make that statement when, technically, it was an honest mistake, and I didn't go out of my way to do something like that, because I've never done anything like that in my life,'" Bonds said, easing into a smile. "Now if somebody told me I did that to [a reporter] or somebody like that, I might believe you on that." (T Moore - MLB.com - May 28, 2016)

Nov 2016: The baseball offseason can be a cold, arduous time. Many baseball people are already counting down until the day pitchers and catchers report.

Pederson, meanwhile, has spent the past couple of weeks posting precious puppy pics on his Instagram page and, apparently, reminiscing about his football career. Pederson sent out a tweet asking the Los Angeles Rams to give him a football tryout, basically the reverse of Tim Tebow's recent proceedings:

"I miss football ... can I get a tryout @RamsNFL something like Tebows? High school comparison—Jordy Nelson "

Jordy Nelson, eh? The Packers' wide receiver is a standout performer, definitely, but so was Pederson ... as pointed out by his alma mater, Palo Alto High School,

The Rams fired back an appropriate reply of their own: "Our scouting department is reviewing the film now,"

In 2010, Pederson was named the Vikings' High School Male Athlete of the Year after being a star on the diamond (leading the team in runs, homers, steals, slugging percentage and OBP at the time of the award) and the football field. As a senior, he led the team in receptions (30), touchdowns (9) and yards (650), as he was a dual-sport threat in every essence of the phrase. (A Garro - MLB.com - Nov 5, 2016)

And Pederson got his wish. The former Palo Alto High School baseball and football star, along with teammate Micah Johnson, were invited to a Rams practice. The two caught passes from the newly named starter quarterback, Jared Goff.

It's hard to find a pair of brothers closer than Joc and Champ Pederson. Joc has a huge fan in his older brother, and Champ has been a frequent presence around the team, too, from home run derbies to clinching celebrations.

So before the Dodgers' 2-1 win over the Cardinals on Joc Pederson Bobblehead Night, who would be better to throw the first pitch than Champ? They made it a moment to remember, with Champ throwing a strike in to Joc behind the plate.

That's what brotherly love is all about. Champ Pederson was born with Down syndrome, and he hasn't let that diminish his spirit. Inspired by Champ, Joc has helped increase donations to Best Buddies International, a nonprofit dedicated to finding and creating opportunities for people with developmental disabilities. (Mearns - mlb.com - 5/23/17)

Jan. 2018: Joc and his wife Kelsey got married.

October 14, 2018: Pederson became a first-time father. Pederson and wife, Kelsey, welcomed a baby girl, Poppy Jett Pederson, weighing 7 pounds, 11 ounces.

Sept 8-11, 2020: Joc was again on the Paternity List.

Sept 16, 21, 2020: Pederson was placed on the family medical emergency list.

2020 Season: Pederson did not have the season he hoped for heading into free agency, but at least he ended 2020 on a high note, both individually and with the team, who won the World Series. I’m not sure many people remember that.

During the regular season, Pederson hit just .190/.285/.397, career lows across the board. He hit 7 home runs in 43 games, with his second-lowest isolated power (.207) in the last five years.

He had his usual role of playing nearly exclusively against righthanded pitchers, getting 91.3 percent of his plate appearances and 94.7 percent of his starts against the opposite hand. In extremely limited duty, Pederson had his best numbers against left-handers, going 4-for-9 (.444) with a double, three walks and no strikeouts.

Pederson was healthy all year but missed a few short stints down the stretch, first on paternity leave for the birth of his second child, and then missed five games for emergency family medical leave in the penultimate week of the regular season.  Pederson was a force for the Dodgers in October, starting 10 times and appearing in 16 of 18 postseason games, hitting .382/.432/.559 with two home runs, including 4-for-10 with a homer in the World Series.

Counting the postseason, Pederson hit .232/.316/.432 with nine homers in 59 games. That’s at least league average (a 102 OPS+), and more in line with his streaky nature at the very least, even if less than he produced in the previous two seasons. (Eric Stephen@ericstephen - Dec 1, 2020)

Feb 9, 2021:  Pederson and Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer had exchanged a few texts throughout this offseason. They were friendly exchanges, but not necessarily about the vacancy Chicago had in left field.

It was Pederson who shifted the conversation in that direction when the free-agent outfielder got Hoyer on the phone.

"He did," Hoyer said in a Zoom call. "I was excited about it, because I like the fact that he was taking control of the situation. And I loved the tone in his voice about betting on himself. That's something that really resonates."

A long-time member of the Dodgers, Pederson explained in an article in The Players' Tribune that he had other teams offering "pretty great money to be a part of their outfield platoon." Instead, Pederson was hoping to find a team willing to let him "bet on" himself as a lineup regular. "I started going on my cell phone and looking up all this stuff," Pederson wrote. "And then I swear to God this happened: It's about 11:30 at night, and I'm in bed on my phone. I'm shuffling between various roster pages, thinking through different possibilities, trying to figure it all out. When all of a sudden it hits me . . . man, I'm telling you, like a bolt of lightning.

"I turn to [my wife] Kelsey and I say, 'Shoot—I figured it out. I'm gonna play for the Cubs.'"

The Cubs parted ways with slugger Kyle Schwarber in December via a non-tender, making the outfielder a free agent. Schwarber signed a deal with the Nationals, leaving the Cubs with an opening in left. 

Pederson reached out to Hoyer, who then put the outfielder in touch with manager David Ross. As detailed in Pederson's post at The Players' Tribune, and confirmed this week by Hoyer, the message from the Cubs' side was that the team was open to handing over the keys to left to start the season. "We talked about what that would look like," Hoyer said. "We said, 'We'll definitely give you the opportunity to play every day. I think when we do give you a day off it'll be against a tough lefty or something like that. But otherwise, we'll let you come to the ballpark every day knowing your name is going to be in there.' And that's what he wanted." · 

Hoyer believes Pederson can help the Cubs' performance against high fastballs (a weakness in 2020). It is also not a stretch to say that Pederson can provide an upgrade defensively for a Chicago team fielding a pitching staff heavy on ball-in-play arms. (Editor's note: In July 2021, the Cubs traded Pederson to the Braves.)

Part of the decision-making behind non-tendering Schwarber, trading Yu Darvish and other transactions this winter was to pare the Cubs' payroll down to the lower end of an unspecified range. Hoyer noted that some recent behind-the-scenes forecasting by the business side has allowed the front office to spend a little more than originally anticipated.

"It was a number of different factors," Hoyer said, "that allowed us to move from the lower end of that range to the higher end."

So, when Hoyer's phone rang and it was Pederson on the line, things lined up for both parties.

"To me, he's a super-talented guy," Hoyer said. "I love the fact he was taking his career in his own hands. It was great." (J Bastian - MLB.com - Feb 9, 2021)

 April 7, 2021: Chicago outfielder Joc Pederson drilled a solo shot over the right field wall at Wrigley Field, which not only marked his first home run with the Cubs but also tied the game up 1-1 in the bottom of the eighth inning.

By the time he got around the bases and back to the dugout, his teammates had a gift waiting for him to celebrate the occasion — though, it’s not the type of gift one would expect to receive in the middle of a Major League Baseball game.

The Cubs gave Pederson a waffle iron. (Ryan Young)

 Oct. 5, 2021: There is something fans should know about him: he just started wearing a pearl necklace during games.

Yes, beginning last week, Pederson was seen wearing pearls while at the plate.

 The reason for Pederson wearing the pearls is a clubhouse secret. He says it’s a mystery for everyone else.

 “It’s a mystery for everyone. They’ll never know,” Pederson said.

When asked again about the pearls again, he offered an amazing explanation. The outfielder said there was no particular reason, just that he’s a bad b-tch. (Larry Brown)

Nov 10, 2021: The iconic pearl necklace worn by Braves outfielder Joc Pederson has a home in Cooperstown.

Pederson, who launched two pinch-hit home runs in the NLDS and added another homer in the NLCS, turned a fashion statement into a rally symbol for Braves fans throughout the team’s march to the 2021 World Series title. Following the Braves victory parade in Atlanta on Nov. 5, Pederson donated his pearl necklace to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.  For a limited time, the necklace can be viewed by fans who visit the Hall of Fame. (Atlanta Braves - MLB.com - Nov 10, 2021)

2021 Season: Once Pederson was traded from the Cubs to the Braves at the trade deadline, the baseball world saw the athlete as a tremendous asset in situational moments. In 2021, Pederson hit .238/.310/.422 with a +94 wRC. He had 19 doubles, three triples, 18 home runs, and 61 RBI in 137 games played. He walked 39 times and had two stolen bases.  (Miranda Remaklus - Nov. 14, 2021)

  March 4, 2022: Shortstop Dansby Swanson and outfielder Joc Pederson have signed up to be Papa John's new "pre-season pizza pros."

Tuesday, the pizza company jokingly tweeted that they are offering daily contracts to any MLB players with "too much time on your hands these days."

Well now Swanson and Pederson have joined the "pizza big leagues" and have thrown on aprons. This Friday  will be the players' first day working at a local Papa Johns.  (FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team)

 July 8, 2022:  Joc Pederson is poised to return to Dodger Stadium as an All-Star, though he’ll be representing his hometown Giants in the starting outfield for the National League.  Pederson was voted into the NL starting lineup for the 2022 All-Star Game on July 19, becoming the first Giants outfielder to win a fan election since Melky Cabrera in 2012. It’s Pederson’s second career All-Star nod and his first since 2015, when he earned a selection during his rookie campaign with the Dodgers. 

“It means a lot,” Pederson said Friday. “It’s a really cool accomplishment. I’m looking forward to representing the Giants.” (M Guardado - MLB.com - July 8, 2022)

Joc Pederson attracts your attention for all sorts of reasons. He stands out in a crowd with his shock of bleached blond hair. He broke out a new strand of pearls for a four-game series in Atlanta last month when he received multiple ovations along with his World Series ring. He is a Palo Alto native who signed with the Dodgers out of high school, and if that doesn’t brand you as an iconoclast from the very beginning of your professional baseball career, nothing will.

Whether he grew into that personality or whether it perfectly suited him, only he can say. For so many professional athletes who put themselves out there, the attention is the goal. For Pederson, it’s a byproduct. He isn’t an Instagram influencer. He’s just living his best life, being an occasional clubhouse goof, getting a rise out of the people closest to him even if it means making himself into an easy mark for those who aren’t.

On May 25, he hit three home runs in a game at the Giants’ waterfront ballpark — something Barry Bonds never did — and matched the San Francisco-era franchise record with eight RBIs. As if one of the most impressive box score lines in Giants history wasn’t enough, his three-run home run tied the score in the eighth inning and his line-drive single tied it again in the ninth as the Giants beat the New York Mets 13-12 in one of the most exhilarating regular-season games in the annals of Bay Area baseball. (Baggarly-TheAthletic.com-July 9, 2022)

Oct 5, 2022: Joc was on the family medical emergency list. Manager Gabe Kapler didn't provide specifics but noted that, "As of this moment, things are OK. I’m not going to get too much into it, but things are being handled."

 2022 Season: The left-handed bat is coming off of a nice season in which he slashed .274/.353/.521 (144 OPS+) with 23 home runs, 70 RBI, and 57 runs in 380 plate appearances. This included a 9.7 percent walk rate against a 23.1 percent strikeout rate.

He earned an All-Star nod in 2022 as well while being the Giants' most consistent and potent hitter. Pederson is in a good position as he re-enters free agency.

He can still hit but his defense has regressed noticeably in recent years. He was worth -15 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) and -11 Outs Above Average (OAA) in 2022 for a Giants defense that was one of the worst in baseball. He was far from the only issue with the glove. That said, his slide on defense is a trend that spans multiple seasons at this point, and why he should probably consider a position change to first base. His best days in the field are behind him.  (Jeff Young - Oct. 20, 2022)

Feb. 10, 2023: The American Cornhole League's (ACL) Superhole Series, presented by Johnsonville, returns on Friday, February 10th. The series pairs celebrity athletes like Doug Flutie and Tyler Lockett with current ACL pros. In all, 32 teams will battle for the championship which will be held in August.

Red Sox DH Justin Turner to compete in Prelim #1 of the ACL Superhole on February 10.

The second head-to-head will feature Red Sox DH Justin Turner and Daymon Dennis, matching up against Turner's former Dodger teammate Joc Pederson and Jimmy McGuffin.  (Daniel Cereghin)

Pederson committed to play for Team Israel in the 2023 WBC. 

Most memorable for Pederson was sharing the field with Tyger Pederson, 32, a coach in the Mariners organization, who also suited up for Team Israel as its third base coach. While there was no Pederson waving Pederson home — Joc’s only hit in nine at-bats was a double, but he was stranded on second — it marked the first time the brothers were in uniform together since they were amateurs.

Joc said the last time he and Tyger were teammates was in 2010, when both played for the Waimea Waves of the Hawaiian Collegiate Summer League.

“It was cool watching my brother coaching third base,” Pederson said. “He really enjoyed it.” (Evan Webeck - March 17, 2023)

2023 Season: Pederson once again remained a threat with the bat in 2023. In his second year with the Giants, the 10-year veteran hit 15 home runs with an OPS of .764 in 121 games. The biggest hole in his game remained hitting against left-handed pitching, though, as he hit .186 in 43 tries this past season.

What sets Joc apart? He is an absolute bat junkie.

Multiple times during a homestand, D-backs manager Torey Lovullo will walk by the room where the team stores all its bats and designated hitter Joc Pederson will be in there handling a number of different bats to see which one feels just right in his hands.

“He loves to pick up bats and get a feel and see how it responds in his hands,” Lovullo said. “And he’ll spend half an hour at a time in the bat room and I see him in there often. He is an absolute bat junkie, and he wants to talk about baseball bats as much as anybody I've ever been around.”

Most players are particular about their bats, so that is not unique. Players trying different bat models is pretty common. What sets Pederson apart from others is how often he changes bats.

“I don't know if it's unique,” Pederson said. “I think it's just whatever feels good. That kind of makes sense to me.”

D-backs hitting coach Joe Mather has seen hitters who like to use different bats, but not to the degree Pederson does.

“I’ve never seen someone do it to the level Joc has this year,” Mather said. “I think he’s on a pace that’s impressive even for himself. We asked him and he’s got at least one bat from every team we’ve played this year. “He’s got an Ichiro Suzuki bat, he’s got a Juan Soto bat. He’s got some pretty cool bats.”

In recent years, Major Leaguers have gone to bat manufacturers in the offseason to get their swings measured to try to get “fitted” with the bat model that works best for them.

Pederson, however, does it the old-fashioned way — strictly by feel.

“That’s the original old-school bat fitting,” Mather said. “Grab it and waggle it around a bit and go from there.”

Usually the bat length Pederson will use is similar, like 33 1/2 in. or 34 in., but he’ll go outside those parameters if it feels right on a given day. How long he sticks with a bat varies.

“It depends on how long it’s good to me,” Pederson said. “If it’s good, it can stay. If it’s bad, it’s gotta go.”

And what do his teammates think about him using their bats?

“When someone orders a dozen, it’s like a baker’s dozen,” Pederson said. “I get one.”

Pederson was signed by the D-backs this past offseason to serve as a designated hitter against right-handed pitching. And he’s been the team’s most consistent offensive force, so his teammates don’t mind if it means they have to give him a bat or two along the way.

When he hit a grand slam on the D-backs' last homestand, it came using one of Christian Walker’s bats. Pederson has used a few of Walker’s bats this year, all made by different bat companies.

“If he needs a bat to put a couple of good swings on the ball, like go ahead, take it,” Walker said. “I want him to be the best version of himself every day, and if he’s using my bat, cool.”

When Pederson uses teammates' bats, it’s not their game bats that he’s using, rather it’s other bats from the stock each player keeps in the bat room. “I’ve enjoyed bats my whole life, so I’ve changed [them] quite a bit for a decent amount of time,” Pederson said. “I've played with a lot of people that used the same bat all year. Not the exact same bat, but same model, same color. I’ve played with people who have used the same model, the same color for 10 years. And that’s just not me.” (Steve Gilbert - June 22, 2024)

TRANSACTIONS

June 2010: The Dodgers chose Pederson in the 11th round, out of Palo Alto High School in Palo Alto, California. They went way over slot to sign him to a $600,000 bonus. Pederson signed with scout Orsino Hill.

Jan 12, 2018: Joc and the Dodgers avoided arbitration, agreeing to a one-year deal for $2.6 million.

Oct 28, 2020: Joc elected free agency.

Jan 29, 2021: The Cubs signed free agent Joc to a one-year deal worth $7 million. The $7 million is split between a $4.5 million base salary for 2021 and a $2.5 million buyout of the option in 2022 (worth $10 million if exercised). The deal also includes up to $500,000 in performance bonuses based on plate appearances. 

July 15, 2021: The Cubs traded LF Joc Pederson to the Braves for 1B Bryce Ball.

Nov 5, 2021: Joc chose free agency.

March 17, 2022: The Giants signed Pederson.

Nov 6, 2022: Joc elected free agency.

Nov. 15, 2022: Pederson accepted a one-year, $19.6 million qualifying offer from the Giants.

Nov 2, 2023: Joc elected free agency. 

Pederson is a lefthanded hitter with impressive bat speed that helps provide average power. He willingly hits the ball to all fields. He has a good approach at the plate and a good, mature feel for hitting.

Joc shows five average-to-plus tools (50 to 60).

He punishes righthanded pitchers with a balanced hitting approach in which he keeps his hands back and lines the ball all over the field.

A vulnerability to lefties might lead to a platoon in the Majors. In 2013 at Double-A Chattanooga, Joc hit .316/.420/.609 against Double-A righthanders, but lefties held him to a .200/.299/.269 line. And 20 of his 22 homers came against righties.

He tends to fly off and get pull-conscious against southpaws, so he needs to do a better job staying through the baseball and using the left-center field gap.

"I don’t want to start putting a tag on him because he struggled a little (against lefties) in the minor leagues,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said in 2014. “A lot of time in the minor leagues, you don’t quite understand what to look for and how to approach them. That’s one of the areas where I think with Joc there are going to be the biggest strides in making adjustments.”

Joc tinkers with his swing too much. He has natural hitting ability that should best be left alone. His swing is already mechanically sound. It is a short stroke that gives him the possibility of being an above-average big league hitter.

He has learned to keep his hands and weight back and does a good job of putting backspin on the ball, helping his fringy raw power play up, exploding through the zone with impressive bat speed. He swings with controlled aggression, attacking the ball, yet he does a good job of keeping his hands back, spraying line drives all over the field.

The Dodgers wanted Joc to improve his posture when he swings, as he tends to dip his head, but the ball jumps off his bat. He does a good job of imparting backspin, leading the scouts to believe his power has a chance to keep emerging as he ages, as it did with Andre Ethier.

Pederson can turn on inside fastballs or shoot line drives into either gap. He just looks like a hitter.

Joc has a good eye at the plate. His strike-zone recognition is far above average.

Pederson credits Ogden hitting coach Johnny Washington with teaching "me a ton about hitting, and we just clicked," Joc said. "Johnny showed me how to keep my body out of the way of my swing and now it's repeatable and consistent.

"His approach of going through the middle got me to stay on balls longer and it gives me more power to all parts of the field," Pederson said. "He took me into the video room and showed me how big leaguers do it. I had a misconception of what I was doing. We looked a lot at Robinson Cano, and my favorite hitter is Carlos Gonzalez and we looked at him. They were doing exactly what Johnny said I should do."

Washington encouraged Joc to stand more upright and step with his front foot instead of slide it. He also got Pederson to allow the ball to travel more deeply into the tike zone, because his hand-eye coordination and bat speed are so good that he can take an extra split-second to read the pitch and react to it.

In 2013 and 2014, Joc was learning how to put backspin on the ball.

After Joc was called up to the Dodgers in September 2014, he struggled a bit. Dodgers manager Don Mattingly greeted Pederson with the story of his own experience as a September callup. After hitting .315 in a full Triple-A season, Mattingly got his first taste of the big leagues with the Yankees in September 1982. He got just 12 at-bats and only two hits, but it took the mystery out of big league pitching.

Pederson said his September experience has been similar.

“Absolutely, I feel the same way,” he said despite striking out eight times in his first 16 at-bats. “I’m learning a lot every day here. I’ve hit some balls hard and I’ve learned I belong up here and I can compete.”

Joc, like most players, places a lot of importance on the bat he swings. "Throughout the minors, you play with different kinds of handles and barrels, and where you like the weight distributed," Pederson said during the 2015 season. "Different companies can have bats with the same specs, but each one has a different feel. You figure out the ones you like and go with it.

"It's everything from the size of the handle to the texture of the wood," he said "Some bats are glossy. Some are unfinished. There's the weight distribution and whether they're cupped or uncapped. I like a flared handle. Some have skinnier handles."

In 2014, Baseball America's annual survey of minor league managers named Pederson as "Best Batting Prospect" and "Best Strikeout Judgment" in the Pacific Coast League.  

In 2014, Cory Seager and Joc Pederson were named Dodger's co-Minor League Players of the Year.

In 2014, Pederson was named the PCL’s Rookie of the Year and MVP.  Pederson far exceeded the numbers his Dad achieved while playing for the Albuquerque Dukes in 1985-86.  

September 29, 2018: Pederson launched a 1-2 curveball onto Levi's Landing in right field for his 25th home run of the year and eighth this season to start a game in just 58 chances. That broke the Dodgers' single-season mark previously held by Davey Lopes in 1979. Pederson has 11 career leadoff homers. 

Pederson holds the record for the longest home run for the Dodgers: June 2, 2015, at Colorado. Distance: 477 feet.

The majestic blast at Coors Field went way up into the center-field bleachers. It came in a series in which Pederson crushed four home runs—one in each game.

April 21, 2019: Pederson is the first Dodger with a multi-HR performance on his birthday since Duke Snider in 1953. He is also the third player in MLB history with at least four hits and two home runs on his birthday, joining Philadelphia's Joe Morgan on Sept. 19, 1983, and Detroit's Kirk Gibson on May 28, 1995.

May 14, 2019: Joc slugged his 100th homer of his career.

HOME RUN DERBY

July 8, 2019: Dodgers slugger Joc Pederson did what he has done a lot on this magical season. He brought people out of their seats. He took their breath away. In one of the most memorable showdowns in the history of the Home Run Derby, Pederson and 20-year-old Blue Jays rookie Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went toe to toe.

That Guerrero eventually prevailed may not be remembered as vividly as how it played out. Frame this one and remember it. Savor the highlights. This event, which has gotten bigger and bigger through the years, won’t get any better than this.

“Yeah, that’s pretty exhausting,” Pederson said, “but it’s all worth it. It’s a lot of fun. It was exciting, and that’s kind of what you sign up for. It’s fun to compete out there, and I loved it.”

Pederson got past Alex Bregman, 21-16, in the opening round. He then watched as Guerrero led off Round 2 with 29 home runs, matching his record-setting first round.

But Pederson hit 29 of his own, the last one landing in the right-field seats as time expired, forcing a 60-second swing-off. They each hit eight, forcing a three-swing tiebreaker. The both hit one, bringing their totals to 38 heading into another three-swing tiebreaker. Finally, Guerrero hit two home runs while Pederson hit one, giving the rookie a 40-39 victory and a spot in the final against eventual champion Pete Alonso.

In the wake of the epic duel, the two players embraced happily at home plate as a huge crowd at Progressive Field stood on their feet and cheered.

“It was special," Pederson said of the epic showdown. "That’s the youngest guy to hit in the Derby. He’s got a beautiful swing, obviously. It was fun.”

Plenty of others in the National League and American League clubhouses understood they’d witnessed something epic even before the Alonso-Guerrero final.

“It was awesome,” Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich said. “It’s great for the game. Great for the Home Run Derby. I think everybody in the crowd was standing. It was fun to watch. It was amazing. I think that’s what everybody bought a ticket for, and they definitely got a show.”

Pirates first baseman Josh Bell spoke with some of the same excitement in his voice: “It’s hard to explain. That was one of the craziest back-and-forths I’ve ever seen. That was like Mike Tyson and Holyfield—two heavy hitters. I didn’t know who was going to take it. Joc put on a show, and Vlad took the cake. To be right there on the field and hear the balls off the bat and feel the crowd was great.”

Dodgers fans can be proud that their 27-year-old lefty slugger put on an amazing display of power and timing, to bring a standing ovation from the crowd and players gathered in front of the two dugouts.

“I just wanted to win,” said Pederson, who entered the All-Stark break with 20 home runs and an .855 OPS. “It was a grind there at the end. I’m kind of speechless, but I really enjoyed it.” (R Justice - MLB.com - July 8, 2019)

2020 Season: Pederson is coming off a rough showing in the abbreviated 2020 campaign (.190/.285/.397 in 43 games), but he rebounded with a strong October performance to help the Dodgers win the World Series. In the playoffs, Pederson hit .382 with a .991 OPS in 16 games, and he launched a critical homer in Game 5 of the Fall Classic.

Pederson has pronounced splits, posting a 128 wRC+ in his career against righties compared to a 59 wRC+ against lefties. In his last full season in 2019, Pederson slashed .252/.349/.517 off righthanders (464 plate appearances), with a .224/.240/.265 slash line off lefties (50 plate appearances).

For his career, which includes parts of seven years all with the Dodgers, Pederson has a .230/.336/.470 slash line with 130 homers and 303 RBIs in 748 games. That includes a .238 (.849 OPS) showing against righties and a .191 (.576 OPS) against lefties. His 131 wRC+ off right-handers across 2018-20 ranked 23rd among qualified MLB hitters.

Pederson, who debuted in 2014, has been a playoff participant after each of his seven full seasons and taken advantage of those opportunities. He owns a career .814 postseason OPS in 79 games, hitting 12 homers. Pederson played a key role in the Dodgers breaking a long title drought in 2020, hitting .382/.432/.559 across 37 plate appearances. (A Simon - MLB.com - March 16, 2022)

2022 Season: Pederson led the Giants with 23 home runs while posting career highs in batting average (.274) and on-base percentage (.353) over 134 games this year.

"Joc was one of the better left-handed bats in baseball against right-handed pitching," Kapler said. "It’s not the easiest profile to find. Like everybody else on our field, he’s not without his challenges. I think there were some struggles along the way, but I thought he had an awesome year at the plate. He was an excellent bat for us."

Pederson has plus range and an average arm in the outfield. He can play any of the three spots out there. His father, Stu, who played 12 pro seasons, taught his son well.

Most kids aren't taught to read fly balls and spring to a spot with their head down, then locate the ball into their glove. Instead, they're typically taught more to react, follow the ball with their eyes and feet and catch the ball.

With that latter method, they lose steps in getting to the ball. Not Joc.

He has a solid, above-average (60) arm.

But, Pederson has found ways to appear faster and make an average arm a great am. His instincts are so good, he gets to the ball quicker, being conscious of exactly the number of steps he's taking.

And he's so good at transferring the ball from is glove and unloading a throw that even if his arm is not as strong as other outfielders' arms, the ball gets to the desired destination very quickly.

In 2020, Pederson spent his time in left field (minus two DRS in 165 innings) and right field (one DRS in 46 innings).

Joc has above average speed (a 55 grade). He can steal a few bases. And he has good instincts on the base paths.

August 23, 2014: Already leading the league with 32 home runs, Pederson swiped his 30th base of the season to become the first 30-homer, 30-steal player in the PCL since Angels Minor Leaguer Frank Demaree did it 80 years earlier, in 1934. 

He was also just the fourth one in PCL history, joining baseball greats Tony Lazzeri and Lefty O’Doul. 

2009: Pederson had to overcome a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder while a junior in high school. He rehabbed without surgery while being limited to designated hitter duties, crediting Tom House's shoulder exercises for his recovery.

June 26-July 9, 2014: A separated right shoulder put Joc on the D.L.

June 29-July 19, 2016: Joc was on the DL with a sprained right AC joint.

April 23-May 5, 2017: The Dodgers placed Pederson on the 10-day disabled list. He strained his right groin muscle running out a ground ball.

May 24, 2017: Joc was on the DL with a concussion.

June 2-12, 2017: Joc continues on the DL with neck strain and a concussion.

April 22-May 3, 2021: Joc was on the IL.

April 27, 2022: Pederson departed in the 1-0 loss to the A’s with right groin tightness. Pederson sustained the injury while running to second base on Brandon Belt’s double-play ball to end the third inning. He will undergo an MRI exam to determine extent of the injury.

July 28-Aug 6, 2022: Joc was on the concussion IL. Pederson was diagnosed with a concussion on July 29 after crashing into the left-field wall in a failed attempt to catch Patrick Wisdom’s two-run homer off Alex Wood the day prior. He banged his head on the wall and looked dazed afterward, and the Giants removed him from the game in the seventh inning.

"Right when I ran into the wall, my head instantly started hurting," Pederson said. "Then I got a headache, so I kind of knew something was up."

April 12-23, 2023: Joc was on the IL with right wrist inflammation though manager Gabe Kapler said the Giants are hoping it'll be a "fairly short-term" issue. Pederson received a cortisone shot and will be eligible to return as soon as April 22.

May 13-June 6, 2023: The Giants announced they’ve placed designated hitter Joc Pederson on the 10-day injured list, due to a right-hand contusion. 

Pederson endured an injury scare in the eighth inning of the Giants' 7-5 loss to the D-backs on May 12 after taking a 94 mph pitch off his right hand while squaring to bunt against Arizona reliever Scott McGough. The Giants initially feared Pederson had suffered a fracture, but postgame X-rays came back negative. Still, Pederson experienced lingering soreness in the hand, prompting the Giants to place him on the 10-day injured list.