Peterson hit in face by fastball

Seattle third-base prospect D.J. Peterson was hospitalized Thursday evening after being hit in the face by a fastball in a Class A game for Clinton.

The organization's No. 3 prospect was struck in the jaw by Wisconsin Timber Rattlers' right-hander Jorge Lopez in the bottom of the third inning of the LumberKings' 8-5 loss.

The 22-year-old right-hander was not unconscious and he was able to stand up near home plate under supervision from manager Eddie Menchaca and athletic trainer Katsu Ichihara.

He was transported off the field and taken by ambulance to Mercy Medical Center in Clinton for X-rays. Results of the examination were not immediately available, but Peterson could miss the remaining 11 games of the season.

"He was down for, I would say, two or three minutes, maybe a little bit longer," Clinton broadcaster Chad Seely said. "He was down by home plate and a utility vehicle came and helped him off. He stood up under his own power and he was still conscious. ... He was crouched down, like how a catcher sits. He was taken off the field pretty quickly. "

Seely said he thought Lopez's pitch -- an 0-1 offering -- may have glanced off Peterson's shoulder before hitting his face. It was the first time he had been struck by a pitch in his professional career.

Peterson was replaced by pinch-runner Jamodrick McGruder, who remained in the game and played second base. Brock Hebert moved from second to short and Martin Peguero moved across from short to third.

Selected by the Mariners 12th overall in the June Draft out of the University of New Mexico, Peterson is hitting .304 with 13 homers and 47 RBIs in 55 games across two levels this year.

Peterson, who struck out in his first at-bat, was the Midwest League Offensive Player of the Week for Aug. 12.