Overpowering Pearson
Tyler Pearson was dazzling in his 78-pitch, complete-game shutout in Monday’s series opener against the Yuma Scorpions, but there is potential for such outings to become more routine for the 22-year-old right-hander. Since being signed during the team’s first homestand, Pearson has worked his way from the bullpen into the starting rotation by showing off a quality fastball clocked regularly in the low 90 mph range.
“The fastball was hitting the right locations and that’s big for me,” Pearson said earlier tonight when describing Monday’s sparkling starting debut. “It’s great when it’s working, but it can just as easily be a 500-foot home run the other way if you don’t get it where it needs to be.”
Pearson's combination of velocity and control had the Outlaws' front office extremely enthused upon his arrival. There was the feeling right away he could mirror the emergence last season of Phil Springman, who like Pearson was signed right after the Golden Baseball League season began, started out in the Outlaw bullpen and was inserted into the starting mix after proving impressive out of the gate.
Though he is fresh off wrapping up his college career at Northern Colorado, Pearson (2-1, 0.56 ERA) is more seasoned than most of his peers in dealing with experienced hitters using wood bats because of his involvement in the Horizon Air Summer Series in Marysville with the Yuba-Sutter Gold Sox.
“That’s been real big in helping me be ready for opportunities like this,” he said.