1. Overview
Scott Michael Peoples (born September 5, 1991) is an American former professional baseball pitcher and current baseball coach. Known for his towering presence at 77 in (196 cm) and a fastball that reached 95 mph (153 km/h), Peoples developed a reputation for his excellent control and diverse pitching repertoire throughout his playing career. He played in the minor league system for the Cleveland Indians organization from 2012 to 2019 before transitioning to Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars. After three seasons in Japan, Peoples retired as a player and began his coaching career in 2023, serving as a pitching coach for the Seattle Mariners' Double-A affiliate and later becoming a pitching coordinator for the Cleveland Guardians organization.
2. Early Life
Scott Michael Peoples was born on September 5, 1991, in Weatherford, Texas, located in Parker County, United States. Details of his childhood beyond his birthplace are not widely publicized, but he grew up to become a prominent baseball talent. He is affectionately known by the nickname "Peeps".
3. Playing Career
Scott Michael Peoples' professional baseball career spanned from 2012 to 2022, during which he primarily played as a pitcher for the Cleveland Indians minor league affiliates and the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in Japan.
3.1. Cleveland Indians organization
Peoples began his professional career after being selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 14th round (443rd overall) of the 2012 Major League Baseball draft. He made his professional debut the same year with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers. Over seven years within the Indians' minor league system, he progressed through various levels, from Single-A to Triple-A.
In 2013, he split his time between the Single-A Lake County Captains and the High-A Carolina Mudcats, finishing with a 2-6 record and a 4.14 ERA over 19 games. He remained with Carolina in 2014, where he posted a 7-8 record and a 4.34 ERA in 101 and two-thirds innings pitched. The following year, 2015, saw him with the High-A Lynchburg Hillcats, achieving an 11-4 record with a 3.42 ERA across 25 appearances.
Peoples first reached Triple-A in 2016 with the Columbus Clippers, although he spent the majority of that season in Double-A with the Akron RubberDucks, where he compiled an impressive 13-6 record and a 3.65 ERA. In 2017, he again split the year between Columbus and Akron, recording a 3-9 record and a 6.27 ERA, with the latter part of his season impacted by a rotator cuff strain. His 2018 season was also limited, with Peoples pitching only 10 games for Columbus and Akron due to a right foot contusion and a right elbow sprain, resulting in a 5.28 ERA. His final season in the Indians organization, 2019, was spent entirely in Triple-A with Columbus, where he delivered a strong performance with a 10-6 record and a 3.98 ERA, striking out 122 batters in 144 and two-thirds innings of work. Across his entire minor league career with the Cleveland Indians organization, Peoples pitched in 166 games, accumulating a record of 48 wins and 44 losses with a 4.16 ERA. Peoples elected free agency following the 2019 season on November 4.
3.2. Yokohama DeNA BayStars
On November 9, 2019, Scott Michael Peoples signed with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He made his NPB debut on June 19, 2020. In his inaugural NPB season, Peoples played in 10 games, achieving a 2-2 record with a 4.97 ERA and 27 strikeouts. On December 14, 2020, he renewed his contract with the BayStars for an estimated salary of 48.00 M JPY.
In 2021, Peoples appeared in 18 games for Yokohama, posting a 3-4 record and a 4.21 ERA with 41 strikeouts over 47.0 innings pitched. During a game against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp on June 19, he collapsed after pitching and was immediately removed from the game due to an injury. The following day, June 20, he was removed from the active roster, and on June 23, he was diagnosed with acute lower back pain, though the full recovery period was unspecified. He was then repurposed as a reliever and returned to the top team on September 23 after a three-month absence. Peoples departed Japan on November 5, expressing gratitude to everyone who supported him. On December 2, he was officially listed as a free agent.
Despite being a free agent, Peoples re-signed with the BayStars on January 21, 2022, expressing his happiness to return to what he considered his "second home." His estimated annual salary for this season was 25.00 M JPY. However, his season was cut short when he suffered a recurrence of his chronic lower back pain during his first start of the season on April 22 against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, leading to his early departure from the game. He continued rehabilitation and made adjustment appearances in the minor leagues. On July 18, the team announced his departure, stating that Peoples had requested to return to the United States for treatment. He was placed on waivers on July 25, 2022. Following his release, Peoples conveyed a message of thanks to his fans via his social media account.
4. Player Profile and Characteristics
Peoples is a right-handed pitcher known for his impressive physical stature, standing at 77 in (196 cm). From his tall frame, he delivers a fastball that can reach speeds up to 95 mph (153 km/h). His pitching repertoire includes a slider, two-seam fastball, and changeup, which he consistently commands low in the strike zone. He is characterized as a ground-ball pitcher, aiming to induce ground outs.
A notable strength in his pitching is his exceptional control; in 2019, he recorded a low walk rate of 1.80.
5. Personal Life
Beyond baseball, Scott Michael Peoples has expressed a deep interest in Japanese culture, particularly the concept of Bushido. He encountered Inazō Nitobe's renowned work, "Bushido: The Soul of Japan," three years before moving to Japan to play professional baseball. He was profoundly influenced by the "discipline, meticulous actions, and the spirit of not making mistakes" described in the book, noting that while Americans tend to be less concerned with minor details, the samurai philosophy left a strong impression on him, sparking his interest in the samurai way of life. As a testament to this, Peoples has a tattoo of the Japanese character "武buJapanese" (meaning "warrior" or "military") on his left arm. He notably brought his copy of "Bushido" with him when he came to Japan.
6. Coaching Career
Following his playing career, Scott Michael Peoples transitioned into coaching, taking on roles within professional baseball organizations to develop pitchers.
6.1. Seattle Mariners
On January 24, 2023, Peoples officially announced his retirement from playing and simultaneously accepted a position with the Seattle Mariners organization. He was appointed as the pitching coach for their Double-A affiliate, the Arkansas Travelers. He reprised this role for the 2024 baseball season.
6.2. Cleveland Guardians
On January 30, 2025, Peoples was hired by the Cleveland Guardians organization, his former playing organization, to serve as a pitching coordinator. In this role, he is responsible for overseeing pitching development across the Guardians' minor league system.
7. Detailed Statistics and Records
7.1. Pitching Statistics by Season
| Year | Team | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | W | L | HLD | WP | PCT | BFP | IP | H | HR | BB | HBP | SO | BK | R | ER | ERA | WHIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | DeNA | 10 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .500 | 166 | 38.0 | 40 | 6 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 29 | 22 | 21 | 4.97 | 1.39 |
| 2021 | DeNA | 18 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | .429 | 191 | 47.0 | 41 | 5 | 14 | 0 | 2 | 41 | 23 | 22 | 4.21 | 1.17 |
| 2022 | DeNA | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 18 | 3.0 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 15.00 | 3.33 |
| Total: 3 years | 31 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 0 | .385 | 375 | 88.0 | 90 | 11 | 28 | 3 | 4 | 74 | 50 | 48 | 4.91 | 1.34 | |
7.2. Fielding Statistics by Season
| Year | Team | Pitcher | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | PO | A | E | DP | FPCT | ||
| 2020 | DeNA | 10 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 2021 | DeNA | 18 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | .800 |
| 2022 | DeNA | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Total | 31 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 0 | .900 | |
7.3. Milestones
His "first" achievements in Nippon Professional Baseball include:
- First appearance and first start: June 20, 2020, against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp at Yokohama Stadium. He pitched 6 innings, allowing 1 earned run, with no decision.
- First strikeout: June 20, 2020, against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp at Yokohama Stadium, striking out Ryosuke Kikuchi swinging in the 1st inning.
- First win and first quality start: August 20, 2020, against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp at Mazda Zoom-Zoom Stadium Hiroshima. He pitched 5 innings, allowing 1 earned run.
- First plate appearance: June 20, 2020, against the Hiroshima Toyo Carp at Yokohama Stadium, striking out swinging against Hiroki Tokoda in the 3rd inning.
- First hit: September 17, 2020, against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows at Meiji Jingu Stadium, an infield double against Hirotoshi Takanashi in the 3rd inning.
7.4. Uniform Number
Throughout his tenure with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars, Scott Michael Peoples wore uniform number 45 from 2020 until his departure on July 25, 2022.
7.5. Entrance Music
During his playing career in Japan, Scott Michael Peoples used "God's Gonna Cut You Down" by Johnny Cash as his entrance music when coming onto the field. This music was used from 2020 until his release on July 25, 2022.