18 JULY 2019 • BASEBALLAMERICA.COM
big league hitters are going to (crush) that.”
Gore’s fastball, which can sit in the mid-90s, has
touched as high as 98 mph and is thrown from a
delivery featuring elite extension. His curveball—a
deep 11-to-5 breaker—and changeup each flash plus.
His slider lags behind but is at least serviceable for
the change of pace it offers in contrast to his curve-
ball.
Though the first scout’s review sounded critical, he
came away impressed. A second scout felt the same,
and believes that Gore’s ceiling is near the top of a
rotation.
“He was the best pitcher after the draft,” the sec-
ond scout said, “and he keeps getting better. He has
everything you look for in a frontline starting pitch-
ing prospect.”NATE PEARSON
PROJECTED SCOUTING GRADES
Fastball: 70
Curveball: 60
Slider: 60
Changeup: 60
Control: 55
Like Gore, Pearson’s breakout was supposed to
happen in 2018 but was dramatically truncated by
injuries. After a ferocious spring training that jumpedhim onto the national radar, Pearson’s season ended
shortly after it started when he suffered a right
elbow fracture on a comebacker just 1.2 innings into
his first start.
Pearson, a 2017 first-rounder, didn’t resurface
until instructional league and then again in the
Arizona Fall League. He made waves at the AFL’s
prospect showcase by touching 104 mph but was
otherwise hit hard in the desert.
In his second chance at a first full season, Pearson
has turned two leagues upside-down with his
combination of stuff and command. In his time in
the Florida State and Eastern leagues, the massive
22-year-old was 3-1, 1.89 and had whiffed 66 while
issuing just eight walks.
Complicating Pearson’s season, however, is an
innings limit that the Blue Jays are handling cre-
atively. Instead of shutting him down early, the
organization has alternated his starts between five-
and two-inning appearances. By doing so, Pearson
should stay on the active roster all season.
No matter the length of the outing, Pearson’s M.O.
has been consistent: Overpower the opponent with
a repertoire of filthy, nasty and unhittable pitches.
Even on off nights, his stuff inspires scouts to put big
numbers on his future potential.
“Even without his best stuff he punched out like
five guys in five innings and only walked two,” one
scout said. “I definitely didn’t get the best look at
him, but I still think he could be a No. 2 starter.MID
SEA
SON
TOP
A comebacker
fractured Blue
Jays righthander
Nate Pearson’s
arm early in 2018
and cost him the
season. He rock-
eted to Double-A
this season after
regaining his
health. Some
scouts believe
Pearson has the
best stuff in the
minors.FORREST WHITLEY
RHP, ASTROSRANK: 4. PRESEASON: 5.Whitley opened the season
as the top pitching prospect
in the game and entered the
halfway point in the middle of
one of the most disappointing
seasons by someone on the
Top 100.
Before landing on the
injured list with shoulder
fatigue, Whitley made eight
appearances (five starts) at
Triple-A Round Rock and went
0-3, 12.21 with 29 strikeouts,
15 walks and nine home runs
allowed in 24.1 innings.
Beyond the poor results,
evaluators have consistently
said that the 21-year-old
Whitley, who began the year
as the youngest player in the
Pacific Coast League, had dis-
played enough immaturity on
the mound that it has blurred
his still-bright ceiling.
“His stuff was way down. In
spring training, I saw a lot of
stuff to like,” one scout said.
“He looked great and like he
was ready, and the kid I saw (in
that start) was a kid.”
After a rough go in the hit-
ter-friendly PCL, Whitley was
sent back to the Astros’ minor
league complex to get back on
track. Once he returns, Whitley,
a first-round pick in 2016, will
need to do a lot of work to
erase the poor first impression
he made in Triple-A.
—Josh NorrisSTOCK WATCHSTOCK IS
HEADED:
NEUTRALCONTINUED FROM PAGE 17ROB CARR/GETTY IMAGES; MIKE JANES/FOUR SEAM IMAGES; MIKE JANES/FOUR SEAM IMAGES; BRAD KRAUSE/FOUR SEAM IMAGES; MIKE JANES/FOUR SEAM IMAGES