FORMER C’S – WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

CANADIANS: 2017 CURRENTLY: TORONTO BLUE JAYS

PHOTO: MARK STEFFENS-FOTOGUY As the old baseball adage goes, the best ability is availability. It doesn’t matter how talented you are; if you can’t stay healthy, all those talents are for naught. Former Canadians fireballer Nate Pearson has learned that the hard way. NATE PEARSON

The 28th overall pick in 2017 out of the College of Central Florida, Pearson arrived on the professional scene heralded as one of the top prospects in all of baseball. He lived up to that billing in his professional debut season with eight starts that spanned 20 innings in which he posted a 0.90 ERA with 26 strikeouts and five walks between one turn for Bluefield and seven starts for Vancouver. He was crucial down the stretch for the Canadians in their eventual Northwest League Championship season. Pearson’s luck changed when he arrived in Dunedin for his High-A debut in 2018. In his first start of the year, the Florida native broke his arm on a comebacker in the second inning that sidelined him for the entire season. Things seemed to pick back up in 2019 when he returned to the D-Jays and mowed down Florida State League competition for six starts (3-0, 0.86 ERA, 21.0 IP, 35 K, 3 BB) before Toronto decided he was ready to test his mettle in the upper Minors. Pearson landed with Double-A New Hampshire on May 7 of that year and would make 16 starts for the Fisher Cats to the tune of a 2.59 ERA over 62.2 innings, though he made his second trip – albeit a brief one – to the Injured List a month after his arrival in the Eastern League. Pearson wrapped up that season with Triple-A Buffalo, where he went 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in three starts across 18.0 innings and limited International League hitters to a .185 average. He was added to the Blue Jays alternate site during the pandemic season in 2020 and made his big league debut on July 29 against the Nationals with five scoreless innings that featured two hits, two walks and five strikeouts. Pearson made four more appearances – and three more starts – that year but again was bit by the injury bug; he was shut down by elbow tightness on August 19 and was out of action for over a month. Fast forward to 2021. Pearson started that year back in Triple-A and began a backand-forth between the Bisons and the big leagues but only worked 45.2 innings over 24 appearances (seven starts) between the two levels due to more injuries. More unfortunate mishaps have affected Pearson in 2022. He contracted mononucleosis early in the year and his return to full strength has taken longer than anticipate. His rehab appearances this season had been progressing steadily until another bump in the road – this time shoulder tightness on Sunday, June 19 that bounced him from a Triple-A game after only two pitches – has further delayed his availability to help a Blue Jays rotation that could certainly use his services. The future remains bright for the 25-yearold, and the upside to his incredible talents is certainly worth being patient for. Once fully healthy – and if he can sustain that health for an extended period – Pearson has a great shot at being an impact player at the Major League level for years to come.