John Peck, a former Pepperdine Wave, stepped onto a Major League field for the first time on August 31, 2026, when the Detroit Tigers inserted him as a defensive replacement in the eighth inning.
The call‑up capped a three‑and‑a‑half season spent grinding in the minors, where he posted a .288 batting average, 25 home runs and a .789 OPS across 1,053 at‑bats.
Drafted in the seventh round of the 2023 MLB Draft, Peck climbed from rookie leagues to the Triple‑A Toledo Mud Hens before a mid‑season transfer to the Erie Seawolves, a move that preceded his brief stint on the seven‑day injured list.
Tigers manager AJ Hinch announced that Peck would start at shortstop for the next two games, a testament to the player’s readiness despite the recent injury setback.
Pepperdine’s baseball pedigree
Peck’s ascent joins a long line of Pepperdine alumni who have reached the majors, with 41 former Wave players having made it to MLB and 35 earning All‑American honors.
Among the notable names in his circle is Chad Tracy, a former Boston Red Sox interim manager, who shares a single‑game record for two triples with Peck from their college days.
The Tigers’ front office views Peck as a versatile infield piece who can contribute both defensively and with the bat, offering depth as the club pushes toward the latter half of the season.