Blue Jays: Pitchers Performing in Spring Training

Top prospect the talk of camp

Nate Pearson
Almost all the hype around Spring Training Camp has been on 23-year old Nate Pearson and his dominance. Pearson entered into camp as the Blue Jays top prospect, one of Baseball’s elite prospects and he has not disappointed. He made his spring debut last Tuesday starting against the New York Yankees. Pearson faced just three batters and needed just 10 pitches, eight of which were swinging strikes to strikeout the side.

Pearson had his second performance on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Pirates where he came in for the fourth and fifth innings when the team was trailing 7-2.  Pearson received plenty of applause from the crowd when he registered 100 mph on the stadium board from his fastball.  Pirates All-Star Josh Bell looked completely overmatched at the plate as he looked way in front of Pearson’s changeup and then was completely blown away on Pearson’s fastball. Over Pearson’s two innings he struck out three batters.

Pearson has pitched a perfect three innings so far this spring as he has not yet yielded a base runner and has struck out six.  While fans are getting extremely excited to see Pearson take the mound at Rogers Centre, they will have to wait a few months. The Blue Jays, along with Pearson have come up with a program that will see him start in Buffalo this year. Last season he started the year going back and forth between by at the end of July.  This year, Pearson is set to pitch as deep as his performance will allow him to in Buffalo before eventually getting the call up to Toronto.