Nate PearsonHOU · KCR · RP

2026 review

Nate Pearson split his season between Houston and Kansas City after opening the year on the 15-day IL recovering from right elbow surgery, a stint that cost him 55 regular-season days before he was activated May 19. He posted a 4.11 ERA and 1.37 WHIP in 46.0 IP across 42 games, with a 20.5 K% and a 13.0 BB% over 200 BF, and 4 SV, 6 HLD and 2 BS. HOU designated him for assignment Jul 19 and traded him to KCR on Jul 22. His control was the limiter: his 13.0 BB% over 200 BF was the 51st highest of 517 pitchers with 100+ BF. Drafted at NFBC ADP rank 875, taken in just 28 of 674 drafts, he finished 604th of 1472 in the TDK LABS 5x5 value rank and 244th of 575 relief pitchers. August was his best month at a 0.71 ERA in 12.2 IP, September his worst at a 9.53 ERA in 11.1 IP. The TDK LABS card had him rebuilt as a reliever working in a lower-leverage spot behind Houston's closer in late May, then picking up holds in an unsettled Kansas City bullpen by late Aug, and by late Sep it described a closer role with a divided read on him after a recent walk-heavy outing and a blown save.