EASTERN LEAGUE PITCHERS RULE THE EL ROOST
Reading won a league-best 80 game, but it still wasn’t good enough to get them to the Eastern League finals. Trenton defeated Bowie to capture the EL title for the fourth time in franchise history.
While Erie didn’t make it into the playoffs, the SeaWolves’ roster was one to remember. Righthanders Casey Mize and Matt Manning anchored a pitching staff that was joined by dynamic lefthander Tarik Skubal, who has firmly entrenched himself as one of the game’s elite pitching prospects. Alex Faedo returned to form as well, giving Erie one of the most prospect-laden pitching staffs in recent league history.
1. Nate Pearson, RHP
New Hampshire (Blue Jays)
AGE: 23. B-T: R-R. HT: 6-6. WT: 245. DRAFTED: JC of Central Florida, 2017 (1).
Pearson helped answer concerns about durability by tossing 101.2 innings this year, a career high, including 62.2 dominating frames with New Hampshire.
As a Fisher Cat, Pearson threw five innings in one start followed by two innings in his next—the Blue Jays wanted to slowly build him up to a regular workload.
