James Niels Peterson (August 18, 1908 – April 8, 1975) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher from 1931 to 1937. He attended the University of Pennsylvania.
On September 30, 1933, Peterson was sent to the Louisville Colonels as part of the compensation for Johnny Marcum, whom the Athletics had acquired on August 20.
Born in Philadelphia, Peterson died in Palm Beach, Florida, aged 66.