The Houston Astros are the next team to take a chance on Nate Pearson.
If his name doesn't sound all that familiar, it's OK. He hasn't yet panned out at the major league level.
But on Friday, the Astros reached agreement on a one-year, $1.35 million contract with Pearson, according to The Athletic's Chandler Rome.
Pearson was once a top-100 prospect.
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He was a first-round draft pick by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2017 out of the College of Central Florida.
Pearson made it to the majors for the first time in 2020. He ended up pitching in parts of four seasons for the Blue Jays. In that span, he threw 93 games for Toronto, putting up a 5.21 ERA with 130 strikeouts in 115.2 innings.
For the past season and a half, Pearson has been a member of the Chicago Cubs. He pitched in 30 games for the Cubs, with a 5.05 ERA to go with 30 strikeouts in 41.0 innings.
Control is an issue for Pearson. He has walked 74 guys in 156.2 innings pitched. He's also allowed 28 home runs in those innings, much too high a total for anyone hoping to be a shutdown reliever.
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Pearson was originally a starter in the minor leagues, but as his struggles in the majors mounted, he went to the bullpen, where his immense velocity was meant to play up. It hasn't quite been as hoped.
The Astros aren't investing a lot in Pearson, but he's still a high-powered 29-year old who is 6-foot-6 and is worth the chance.
If Pearson doesn't have it any better than the guy who had a 9.20 ERA in 2025 major league innings, then Houston can move on. But if the Astros can unlock anything in Pearson, it could be a big deal for their team.
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