Baseball career

College

Pederson played college baseball for Foothill College, the University of Southern California, and the University of the Pacific.

Minor leagues

He was selected in the 9th round (228th player chosen) of the 1981 MLB draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers out of the University of Southern California. Pederson debuted with the Single-A Lodi Dodgers, hitting a home run in his first at bat, and finished his first professional season with a walk off home run which gave Lodi the 1981 California League Championship.

In 1982, with the Vero Beach Dodgers, he led the Florida State League in triples (18), was second in runs (95), hits (156), and on base percentage (.434), and third in batting average (.336), slugging percentage (.494), and RBIs (79). In 1983 with the San Antonio Dodgers, he was second in the Texas League in triples (12). In 1984 with San Antonio, he tied Mariano Duncan for the league lead in triples with 11, and was second in the league in RBIs (86).

He played 473 games for the Syracuse Chiefs of the International League from 1988-92. The team had a “Stu Pederson Night” during the 1991 season. In his 12 minor league seasons, he batted .292/.389/.441, with 90 home runs and 73 stolen bases in 4,137 at bats, and pitched 7 innings.

On August 18, 2012, Pederson was inducted into the Syracuse Chiefs Wall of Fame.

Major Leagues

His career included 8 games for the Dodgers during the 1985 season at the age of 25, with whom Pederson debuted on September 8, 1985. His final major league game was October 6, 1985.

After professional baseball

Following his playing days, Pederson coached high school baseball at Palo Alto High School, from which he graduated in 1978, then at Cupertino High School.

Pederson owns a ticket business, that sells tickets for sporting events, concerts, and theater events.

Family

His wife, Shelley Pederson, was an athletic trainer in college.

Two of Stu's sons Joc and Tyger were both drafted by the Dodgers. Joc was drafted out of Palo Alto High School in the 11th round of the 2010 MLB Draft, was ranked the Dodgers' # 1 prospect after the 2013 season, and made his major league debut in 2014. Tyger, an infielder for the University of the Pacific Tigers in Stockton, California, was drafted in the 33rd round of the 2013 MLB Draft and briefly played in the Dodgers minor league system. His eldest son is named Champ, and has Down Syndrome. His daughter, Jacey, is an elite national amateur soccer player, who plays forward on the US Under-17 Women's National Team.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]