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Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 45 | Run: 60 | Arm: 45 | Field: 55 | Overall: 40The Iowa rotation drew plenty of attention in recent years, especially for Brody Brecht, but Petersen stood out in his own right among the position-player group. An all-Big Ten selection in 2023, the outfielder got off to a strong start as a junior last year, hitting .333/.459/.571 with five homers and 17 steals in 33 games before stress reactions in both his shins ended his season in late April. The Nationals selected him in the eighth round, signed him for slot at $230,900 and got him seven games later in the summer with Single-A Fredericksburg.Batting from the right side, Petersen can make for a kinetic at-bat as a constant waggler in the box. He improved his plate discipline over time in college, and he also made harder consistent contact. He slugged just .329 with wood bats in a trip to Cape Cod in 2023, and he struggled against velocity above 94 mph even with metal. There might just be enough power for 12-15 homers, and it was notable that, while he didn’t go deep with the FredNats, four of his eight hits went for extra bases in the small sample.Petersen is a plus runner who has good baserunning instincts; he had a 90.9 percent success rate in steals in college and was 5-for-5 in the pros. Subpar arm strength pushed him primarily to left field with the Hawkeyes, and he might need to stay in a corner with superior defenders like Dylan Crews and Elijah Green options up the middle. With Petersen’s on-base ability and speed alone, he could fit nicely as a Major League fourth outfielder – a solid return for his Draft spot.
Nationals: Sam Petersen, OF (No. 30)Dylan Crews and James Wood should be mainstays in Washington’s outfield for years to come, and 2025 Breakout participants Daylen Lile, Elijah Green and Andrew Pinckney will be among those pushing to join them in the D.C. grass down the line. The same goes for Petersen, a 2024 eighth-rounder who shouldn’t go overlooked in either of the Nats’ two Spring Breakout matchups. The Iowa product has plus speed, can play above-average defense and can pick extra-base hits aplenty in the gaps.
Nationals outfielder Sam Petersen missed a couple of days after taking a fastball to the head, which hit him hard enough to send his helmet flying in one direction and the ball in another. He returned to show a strong approach and good feel for contact, though. A 2024 eighth-round pick, Petersen has been banged up repeatedly since he signed, but when he’s played, he’s shown he can work the count and hit for average.His profile is not going to offer much power, as he’s more of a bat-to-ball guy without great bat speed, and his chance to be a regular depends on his ability to keep up his contact rate as he faces better stuff. He looks like an outstanding pick for that spot in the draft.
