14. Nate Pearson, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays
Age: 24 |
Bats: Right |
Throws: Right
Tools: Fastball 70/70, Slider 65/70, Curveball 45/50, Changeup 50/55, Command 45/50
Present/Future Value: 45/60
If you want to dream on an ace from this list but would prefer a more heavy metal approach than a graceful orchestral number, Pearson is your guy. He's been up to 101 mph many times, 102 mph before, sitting 95-100 mph in many starts. His mid-80s power slider is hellacious, and he's a deceptively good athlete with enough body control and finesse that, even at 6-foot-6, 245 pounds, he has the ability and has shown an above-average changeup and average command.
In his MLB debut in 2020, he gave glimpses of this complete version of himself but more often would get in destructive patterns of missing by a bit, getting behind, then trying to overthrow, which would snowball on him.
While he may look like a future reliever at first blush, his outlook depends on how well he can dial down and adjust to make things work. Possessing 45-grade command (quality strikes) and 50-grade control (any kind of strike) may be enough to make Pearson a front-line starter, while almost anything more than that could make him an ace.