Astros’ signing of former first-round pick may not be as crazy as it looks

The Houston Astros' signing of former first-round pick Nate Pearson wasn't the move many fans expected to kick off Houston's offseason. Released by the Chicago Cubs before the end of the regular season, Pearson didn't need to wait until the conclusion of the World Series to sign with a new team, and the Astros jumped his market.

At first blush, the impression is that the Astros could have waited until closer to spring training to make this signing. Pearson has the velocity that teams fall in love with, but his time with the Cubs and Toronto Blue Jays suggests that he may be nothing more than an up-and-down arm.

That said, it could be a worthwhile gamble for the Astros. Considering the Astros' curious payroll situation, they will need to take low-risk, high-reward gambles when they find them. At $1.2MM, Pearson was an inexpensive opportunity for Dana Brown to bring in someone he is familiar with. Brown was with the Blue Jays, overseeing their draft, when they selected Pearson in 2017.

This Astros signing of Nate Pearson looks wild — but it could actually work

The Astros already plan on handling Pearson differently than the Cubs and Blue Jays. Pearson is expected to be stretched out during the offseason, eyeing a potential slot in the Astros' rotation. After the Cubs traded for Pearson in 2024, there was an expectation that he could be used as a starting pitcher this season, but command issues plagued his season in Chicago.

If there were a team that could fix Pearson, the Astros are at the top of that list. Say what you will about other areas of the Astros' organization, such as how they handle injuries, their pitching infrastructure remains among the best in baseball. Even if Pearson doesn't slot into the Astros' rotation, it wouldn't be crazy to think that the Astros can solve his command issues and use him as a high-leverage relief pitcher.

The Astros can't reach the end of the offseason with Pearson being their biggest addition to the pitching staff. If that happens, something went egregiously bad. But, with the more impactful moves still a few weeks away, Pearson was a worthwhile move for the Astros' front office, looking to stabilize the lack of depth across the organization.