The Astros traded Nate Pearson to the Kansas City Royals, and in return they received 22-year-old pitching prospect Max Martin.
The writing was on the wall when the Astros designated him for assignment Sunday. With the trade deadline approaching and roster spots at a premium, the Astros needed to make room.
Advertisement
Pearson was one of six pitchers Dana Brown acquired on Major League deals this offseason. His time in Houston was short-lived, but here is a look at his performance for the season.
Pearson went 1-0 with a 3.60 ERA in 16 games this season. He had a solid but unspectacular stint in Houston’s bullpen. Over six MLB seasons he is 10-6 with a 4.99 ERA in 139 games, per MLB.
He was the 28th overall pick in the 2017 Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays, and spent some time in Chicago before making his way down to Houston. A former first-round pick ending up traded for a 10th-round prospect tells the story of an injury-riddled career that never quite lived up to its potential.
Here is a look at the player they got in return, Max Martin.
Advertisement
Martin posted a 6-2 record with a 2.01 ERA in 26 relief appearances this season, per MiLB. Martin split time between Single-A Columbia and High-A Quad Cities in the Royals organization.
He was the 10th-round pick by the Royals in the 2025 Draft, and has posted impressive numbers for a young arm still in the lower levels. A 2.01 ERA across two levels of Class-A ball is not something you see every day, and the Astros clearly liked what they saw.
The Astros pitching staff has been struggling all season, either injuries or rocky performances. This move adds a young pitching prospect to a thin farm system.
With the trade deadline approaching on August 3 the Astros continue to reshape their roster with the necessary adjustments. This way they are getting something in return rather than nothing for a DFA’d player which is always a good move.
Advertisement
Martin is a name to keep an eye on as he works his way through the system. The Astros need all the pitching depth they can get right now, and it will be interesting to see how this roster change will impact the second half of the season.
No more Lance McCullers Jr. and no more Nate Pearson. Who is next?
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source sports.yahoo.com ’
