KANSAS CITY -- In an effort to bolster their bullpen depth, the Royals acquired reliever Nate Pearson from the Astros for Minor League pitcher Max Martin on Wednesday.
Pearson was designated for assignment by the Astros on Sunday. To make room for him on their 40-man roster, the Royals designated outfielder Kameron Misner for assignment. Pearson wasn’t added to the Royals’ active roster right away on Wednesday, but whenever he is able to join the team, they’ll need to make another move.
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“We’ve seen Nate quite a bit over the years,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “Big arm. High upper-90s velo. He’s got good stuff. He’s got above-average stuff across the board. Power arm. That’s somebody that’s very intriguing, and if he gets things clicking again, could be a big part of the bullpen.”
The 29-year-old Pearson began the year on the injured list after right elbow surgery during the offseason, but he made his season debut on May 20. In 16 relief appearances with the Astros, he posted a 3.60 ERA with a 19% strikeout rate and a 14.3% walk rate.
Once considered one of the best pitching prospects in the sport as the Blue Jays’ first-round pick in 2017, Pearson has dealt with a myriad of injuries throughout his career. But he’s still averaging 97.7 mph on his four-seam fastball -- high velocity that could be a good foundation for unlocking success if he’s able to find the zone. Pearson is not getting a ton of swing-and-miss right now, but perhaps the Royals find something with his slider and curveball that could help.
They’ve been interested in Pearson for a while, including when he was with the Cubs for parts of the past two seasons. And right now, the Royals need as many arms as they can get with how many injuries they’re dealing with, along with a bullpen that has struggled heavily throughout the year. They will likely be trading some relievers at the Trade Deadline, too, so building depth now is important.
Martin, 22, was selected by Kansas City in the 10th round of the 2025 Draft out of UC Irvine. In 26 relief appearances this season between Single-A Columbia and High-A Quad Cities, he posted a 2.01 ERA with two saves and 36 strikeouts compared to 13 walks.