Braxton
Pearson

Cape Cod: Another impressive relief arm for the Whitecaps, Pearson racked up 23 strikeouts in 18 innings of work while maintaining a 1.11 WHIP and .254 BAA over that span. After logging just four innings of work this spring for the Horned Frogs, Pearson was an invaluable weapon for Brewster, frequently working the late innings and often covering multiple innings of work in his appearances. In our views the righty worked exclusively with a lively low-90s fastball (1950 rpm and 15 inches of horizontal break) and mid-80s slider with short, tilted action that he could tighten even more into more of a true cutter in the 87-89 mph range. It's purely a relief profile, but the breaking ball and fastball tunnel well and at his best he can use his quality breaker to set-up his fastball on the margins or his fastball to set-up the breaker as a chase offering when ahead. When he gets in to trouble, it's usually hanging his breaker or going back to back with his fastball over the white. A quality off-speed offering could do wonders to keep hitters off balance and further improve the effectiveness of his primary one-two punch. He profiles as a middle-relief arm at present but could grow his profile with a slightly broader arsenal and a little more precision on the back.

The right hander opened eyes right as he entered the game from the bullpen in the fourth inning. Pitching exclusively from the stretch, his delivery offers some deception to the hitters. His fastball sat 88-91 with big arm side run that received several uncomfortable swings as he rode in in on right handed batters. His fastball played up in the zone as well, as it looks like the ball jumps out of his hand. He complimented his fastball with a slider with tight spin at 79-80. He pounded the strike zone throughout his outing, throwing a first pitch strike to seven of the eight batters he faced and 85% strikes overall. When he keeps the ball down in the zone, it seems like he is in complete control. Definitely an arm to continue to follow this summer.

Pearson is listed at 6-foot, 165-pounds, but there is still room for him to grow, as he has a young, lean-strong frame. Carved in his lone inning of work, creating two strikeouts of his own. The right-hander doesn’t throw anything straight, with his fastball sitting 84-88 mph with arm-side run, while his slider has short, lateral, late break at 74-78 mph. The last batter he faced, he sequenced a curveball for strike one, a curveball for strike two, a fastball above the zone for a ball, setting up a curveball for a strikeout.

Pearson is listed at 6-foot, 165-pounds, but there is still room for him to grow, as he has a young, lean-strong frame. Working from a ¾ slot with a long, loose arm swing, the right-hander releases all three pitches from the same window, repeating a drop-and-drive delivery with a long stride down the mound and an athletic finish. Locates his fastball to both sides of the plate with sink and late life. His slider has tight rotation and short, late 10/4 break at 74-78 mph. Real feel to spin the baseball, he also throws an 11/5 curveball with bigger break and more depth at 74-76. For good measure, Pearson can also flash a changeup at the bottom of the zone with depth and fade at 80 mph. Look for big things from this young right-hander as he is still not done filling out his frame.

Pearson has a long-limbed, broad shouldered, projectable pitchers frame at 6-foot, 165-pounds. The right-hander works from a high-¾ slot with a long, loose arm stroke. Directional, tall-and-fall delivery, lands square with a slightly exaggerated finish. Pumped strikes with three feel for four pitches. His fastball flashes tilt at 84-86, topping out at 88 mph. Throws two breaking balls, a short breaking, lateral slider at 74-77, and a deeper breaking downer curveball at 71-75. Maintains arm speed on his changeup, producing arm side fade at 80 mph.