Pearson continues rise with Fisher Cats

If performances like the one Nate Pearson produced on Tuesday -- in which Double-A New Hampshire pitching coach Vince Horsman classified as being "B-minus or C-plus" -- Toronto fans have a lot to look forward to.
The second-ranked Blue Jays prospect made his second consecutive scoreless start on Tuesday night, allowing two hits and striking out five over six innings, as the Fisher Cats edged Akron, 2-1, at Canal Park.

The 22-year-old has not allowed a run in his last 11 2/3 innings, yielding two hits and four walks while striking out 13.

While the outing didn't measure up to the 5 2/3 hitless frames he threw against Harrisburg on Thursday, it proved to Horsman that Pearson is one step closer to the bigs.
"I told him after the game how proud I was of him," Horsman said. "He had everything working that last start [against the Senators]. He was dotting his pitches and just throwing at another level. Tonight, he had trouble throwing his secondary stuff consistently, but he stayed out there and competed. I was [much] happier with this outing than his last, and I told him that." 
MLB.com's No. 14 overall prospect may not have been as crisp, but he was effective nonetheless. He retired the first 11 RubberDucks until Trenton Brooks worked a two-out walk in the fourth. Andruw Monasterio and Alex Call collected consecutive singles against the right-hander to open the fifth, snapping his stretch of 9 2/3 hitless innings. 
Gameday box score
Pearson loaded the bases by walking Nellie Rodríguez but escaped trouble by retiring Logan Ice and Indians No. 24 prospect Ernie Clement on fly balls. He worked around a second free pass to Brooks to complete six innings for the first time in his professional career, throwing 51 of 91 pitches for strikes.
"Nate spoils us sometimes," Horsman said. "We have to remember it's a learning experience and he's going to have these types of games when he gets to the Majors. It's great to see him come out and have that type of performance, despite not pitching with his usual stuff. We've worked a lot together on his pitch sequences and not getting too predictable. He's getting a good education here, and I'd like to believe I'm helping with that. We just want to see him continue to pitch and continue to learn."
Limited by a strict pitch count, the Florida native has still managed to impress in his first full Minor League season. Pearson lowered his ERA with the Fisher Cats to 2.54 in 13 starts. Overall, the 2017 first-round Draft pick has a 2.01 ERA in 18 appearances with Class A Advanced Dunedin and New Hampshire. He's struck out 85 and walked 17 over 67 innings while holding opponents to a .160 average.
"We're seeing what he's capable of now that he's got the opportunity to pitch deeper into the game," said Horsman, who pitched in the Majors from 1991-95. "He was on a specific plan early, but now it's all about letting him go out there and reach his innings total while building him up like anyone else. Nate's a great kid who understands the reasoning behind it. I'm sure he didn't like it, and I'm glad he didn't. He's a competitor, he's having fun and we saw that out there today."

Vinny Nittoli (2-2) recorded the win, despite surrendering the tying run on a pair of hits in the seventh. Corey Copping fanned one and worked around a two-out error in the ninth for his first save of the season.
Blue Jays No. 5 prospect Kevin Smith stayed hot for the Fisher Cats, notching a homer, single and a walk in three plate appearances. The 23-year-old shortstop is batting .400 (14-for-35) with three dingers and nine RBIs in his last 10 games. Santiago Espinal snapped a 1-1 tie in the eighth with a safety squeeze.
Akron starter Adam Scott was charged with a run on four hits and a walk while striking out six over 6 2/3 frames. Jared Robinson (1-3) surrendered the decisive run on a hit and two walks while fanning a pair in 1 1/3 innings.