Blue Jays: Players who could be traded once the lockout is over

Nate Pearson

One of the Blue Jays top pitching prospects over the past few seasons, not many would expect Nate Pearson to be involved in some trade theories so early into his career.

Dubbed the next ace in the Jays rotation at the time of his 2020 promotion, injuries and the COVID delayed 2020 campaign have limited him to just 185.6 innings since turning pro after the 2017 MLB Draft. Known for his intense fastball and ability to strike out opposing batters, Pearson has had difficulty breaking the MLB threshold since his debut, limited to just 33.0 innings due to injury and poor performance and mostly used in the bullpen instead of the rotation.

That being said, Pearson still holds quite a bit of value and should be a starter at the MLB level once he reels in his command. With the recent emergence of Alek Manoah and a majority of the Jays rotation on long-term deals besides Hyun Jin Ryu (only two years left), Pearson’s name has floated around trade speculation articles but has not been actively involved in any rumours.

I personally don’t see the club selling on Pearson so early in his career but if the right deal comes along, it wouldn’t be crazy to think Ross Atkins and co. could pull the trigger. The Florida product’s value is currently on the lower side given the rough 2021 campaign but could be included in a trade at the deadline if he can stay healthy and log some innings either at the AAA or MLB level.