Nate Pearson Begins Rehab Assignment in Single A

Blue Jays pitcher Nate Pearson began a rehab assignment with Single A Dunedin on Thursday night.

Before the Blue Jays faced Shohei Ohtani in Los Angeles, their own flamethrower took the mound on the other side of the country.

Young pitcher Nate Pearson began a rehab assignment with Single A Dunedin on Thursday, pitching 1.2 innings, reaching 30 pitches, and striking out a batter. Pearson touched 97.5 miles per hour with his fastball and let up one earned run.

Pearson has been out since spring training after catching mononucleosis, recovering and regaining energy before beginning his throwing program at Toronto's player development complex in Dunedin, Fla. a few weeks ago. Pearson had been throwing bullpen sessions and live bullpens to batters before progressing to game action with the Dunedin Blue Jays. The illness was just the latest injury for Pearson, a former top prospect in both the organization and industry.

“I'm still only 25. I’ve got so much time left,” Pearson told Inside The Blue Jays in early May. “Now I’m just gonna be thankful for when I do get healthy and get back out there. And no matter what I'm facing, I've already been through most of it, so it's going to be smooth sailing.”

Pearson used the fastball and slider exclusively in his return to organized baseball on Thursday, earning seven total called strikes and whiffs on his 30 deliveries. Though the righty possesses a full starter's repertoire, he may not come back in a rotation role. Toronto's management has discussed a "bulk role" for Pearson dating back to before his mono diagnosis, which could mean an opener position, multi-inning reliever, or a creative mix of bullpen and rotation.

After he's built up with Dunedin, the Jays plan to move Pearson up to the Buffalo Bisons, where he will likely join the Triple A rotation for further workload increase.