TORONTO BLUE JAYS TOP 10 PROSPECTS
1. NATE PEARSON, RHP
AGE: 23. B-T: R-R. HT: 6-6. WT: 245. DRAFTED: JC of Central Florida, 2017 (1st round). SIGNED BY: Matt Bishoff.
TRACK RECORD: Pearson pitched mostly out of the bullpen for Florida International as a freshman before transferring to the JC of Central Florida in 2017. While there, his stock climbed. The Blue Jays drafted him 28th overall that year and signed him for $2,452,900. In college, Pearson sat at 92-94 mph and reached 98. When he went to the short-season Northwest League after signing, he pitched in short stints and was regularly mid-toupper 90s and reached 101 mph. The next season, however, a back injury prevented Pearson from pitching until May 7. He returned, threw 1.2 innings, then didn’t pitch again during the regular season when a line drive fractured his forearm, though he came back for the Arizona Fall League. In 2019, Pearson made a case as the best pitching prospect in the minors as he rose three levels to finish the year in Triple-A.
Pearson has an extra-large 6-foot-6 frame and an elite fastball. He sits in the upper 90s, regularly touches triple digits and has climbed as high as 104 mph. His fastball rides up and explodes with late life. That combination of velocity, life and angle allows him to miss bats with his fastball when he elevates or drives the ball down in the zone. It was a slurvy, low-80s pitch in college that he sharpened after his first year. Now it’s a legitimate out pitch for, earning plus or better grades and flashing plus-plus potential with power and
