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Allegheny College Athletics

The Official Athletics Site Of The Allegheny Gators

Hall of Fame

Peterson

Dean Peterson

  • Class
    1994
  • Induction
    2008
  • Sport(s)
    Baseball

Dean Peterson departed from Allegheny College as one of the most dominant closers in NCAA Division III history. In just three years with the Gators, he compiled a 6-6 record; however, it was his 26 saves, including a school-record 12 in 1993, that caught the attention of his opponents and professional scouts. The dozen saves that season still stands as the seventh highest single season total in Division III history, while his 26 career saves ranks fifth in the Division III annals.

               

The Boston Red Sox organization thought so highly of Peterson that they drafted the then-junior in the ninth round with the 247th pick overall.

               

During his first summer as a professional athlete, Peterson pitched in 57 innings while splitting time between the Gulf Coast Red Sox of the Rookie League and the Utica Blue Sox of the New York-Penn League, striking out 36 and allowing just 31 earned runs. He played the next season with the Sarasota Red Sox as a starter, teaming with future All-Star Nomar Garciapara and future big-leaguer Jeff Suppan. Over the year he had a 9-7 record with 94 strikeouts in 141 innings, and an ERA of 3.64.

               

Over the total of his five-year professional career, he had a 24-28 record with 11 saves. He struck out 308 batters and had an ERA of 4.26. Following his playing career, the Cortland, Ohio native returned to Allegheny, where he worked as an assistant coach while finishing his degree, which he earned in 2001.
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