Braves' Peterson to miss eight weeks

Dustin Peterson's follow-up to his breakout 2016 campaign has been put on hold.
The Braves' 18th-ranked prospect underwent surgery on Friday to remove the hook of the hamate bone from his left hand and is expected to miss eight weeks. Head team physician Dr. Gary Lourie performed the procedure after Peterson injured the hand during an at-bat against the Yankees on Wednesday.

The Braves acquired Peterson from the Padres in 2014 in a trade for outfielder Justin Upton and shifted the long-time third baseman to the outfield. The 2013 second-round pick struggled in his first full season with the club but broke out in 2016 with Double-A Mississippi. Peterson compiled a .282/.343/.431 line with a career-high 12 homers and 88 RBIs in 132 games, leading the Southern League with 38 doubles and tying for second in RBIs.
Entering this spring as the club's reigning Minor League Player of the Year, the 22-year-old was invited to Major League camp for the second straight season. He was 3-for-10 with two runs scored in four Grapefruit League games before suffering the injury.
Peterson is the younger brother of Mariners No. 11 prospect D.J. Peterson.