Toronto's Pearson soaring up to Double-A

Toronto's top two prospects -- Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette -- passed through Double-A New Hampshire in 2018. Now, it's Nate Pearson's turn. 
The Blue Jays promoted their third-ranked prospect Thursday from Class A Advanced Dunedin to the Eastern League. The organization also sent Pearson's batterymate, No. 30 Riley Adams, to the Fisher Cats.

"I'm super excited to join the Fisher Cats and can't wait to get to work with my new teammates!" Pearson told MiLB.com late Thursday night. 
Toronto selected Pearson in the first round of the 2017 Draft out of the Junior College of Central Florida. The right-hander started seven games for Class A Short Season Vancouver that year and allowed two earned runs across 19 innings.
Anticipating a full season in 2018, back tightness delayed his debut until May 7. After tossing 1 2/3 innings in his Dunedin debut, a line drive fractured his right ulna and cost him the rest of the season. Pearson went to the Arizona Fall League and posted a 6.20 ERA in six starts, but struck out 23 over 20 1/3 frames. 
MLB.com's No. 72 overall prospect has been fantastic to start the 2019 campaign. The Blue Jays have eased him back by alternating the length of his six outings between five and two innings each start. Pearson set a career high for strikeouts with nine on April 14, then fanned 10 during his next five-inning start April 25.
"It's always good to have a healthy outing, especially missing all of last year," Pearson told MiLB.com last month. "I'm just trying to find my groove this year, stay healthy and make my start every fifth day."
He'll now have the chance to take the mound every five days in the Eastern League. During his last start for Dunedin on Wednesday, he fanned five in two innings and walked one without allowing a hit. He lowered his ERA to 0.86 and WHIP to 0.62, with opponents batting .139 against him and finished with a 3-0 record, 35 strikeouts and only three walks over 21 innings.
The 6-foot-6, 245-pounder uses his frame to employ an explosive fastball that received a 75 grade on the 20-80 scale. Pearson also sports a plus curveball and a curveball-changeup combination. 

Dunedin pitching coach Jim Czajkowski commended Pearson's work ethic between starts, which puts himself in a position to be successful. 
"The game is the fun part -- the big test -- but everything this kid does between starts is phenomenal," Czajkowski told MiLB.com last month. "I've coached a lot of good pitchers that are future Hall of Famers and I'll put him right up there. With his work ethic, what he does in between his starts, how he diets, his weight lifting program, he's done a fantastic job."
That preparation has also been noted at the top levels of the organization. 
"Nate takes a ton of pride in his nutrition and his strength and conditioning routines, and it shows with the body he has right now," Blue Jays director of player development Gil Kim told MiLB.com in April. "He takes full ownership of himself as a person and a pitcher. His routines are extremely solid. He's working very hard right now on tightening up the shape of his slider. He puts in all the work you could ask for, and he's a great example for all of our pitchers to follow. We're excited about him carrying this positive development from the AFL right into the regular season."
Adams began the season repeating the Florida State League after playing 99 games for Dunedin in 2018. In 65 at-bats this year, he hit .277/.434/.462 with three homers and 12 RBIs. The backstop has caught five of Pearson's six starts this year.