Josh Pearce

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #28 prospect in 2004
  Pearce showed flashes of his old form last year in his return from shoulder surgery. He was worked hard in college at Arizona, then piled up 423 more innings in his first 2 1⁄2 pro seasons. He finally broke down in May 2002 with a torn labrum. Pearce got called up to St. Louis briefly last July, then was told along with the rest of his Memphis teammates that none of them would be called up in September. The Cardinals changed their mind and promoted Pearce as an extra arm for their bullpen, and he pitched well in that role. Pearce mixed strong outings with bad ones throughout the season, but the Cardinals say it was to be expected. His velocity was back to its previous 88-91 mph level most of the time, and he also showed good command. His slurvy breaking ball and changeup should be at least average pitches. He has a bulldog mentality and competes hard, but he has no real out pitch and can get knocked around if he's not sharp. Pearce will compete for a bullpen job in spring training and return to Triple-A if he doesn't win one.
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  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #21 prospect in 2003
  Pearce's shoulder finally broke down from years of heavy use last year. The Cardinals figured out that he had pitched nearly 300 innings from college fall ball in 1998 through instructional league in 1999. Yet he still threw 160 innings in 2000 and 185 in 2001. Perhaps it shouldn't have come as a surprise when Pearce broke down early last season with a torn labrum. He had surgery in May and is expected to be ready for spring training. A true gamer, he tried to pitch for Memphis early last season but clearly was hurt, giving up four home runs in four innings in his first start. When he finally went down in May, it was the first time he had missed a professional start. When healthy, Pearce throws his fastball in the 88- 91 mph range with a slurve and changeup. He doesn't have anything electric but "competes his ass off," in the words of one Cardinals official, and has an advanced approach. He'll open the season at Memphis and if his shoulder is sound he could provide help in St. Louis at some point in 2003. Long term, he projects as a back-end starter or long man.
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  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #4 prospect in 2002
  If nothing else, Pearce has proven he's a workhorse. The Cardinals determined he threw nearly 300 innings from college fall ball in 1998 to instructional league in 1999. In spite of that and an organizational epidemic of arm injuries, Pearce threw 185 innings in 28 minor league starts in 2001. As Pearce has shown, he's a bulldog who's always ready to take the ball. He hasn't missed a professional turn and gives his team confidence he'll go six or seven innings every time out. His fastball is in the 88-91 mph range with good sink, and he has good command of it. His slurve and changeup are also effective pitches. Pearce's stuff is just average. He succeeds with superior makeup and knowing how to make the pitches he needs. He has to keep the ball down to be effective. The Cardinals say because he's not a hard thrower, they don't think his arm has been overworked. He'll likely start the 2002 season at Triple-A Memphis, but don't be surprised if Pearce shows up in St. Louis at some point. He projects as a middle-of-the-rotation inningseater.
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  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #10 prospect in 2001
  Pearce put together a solid pro debut in 1999, followed by an instructional league performance that was among the best in the organization. Then the Cardinals figured out that between college fall ball in 1998 and instructional league in 1999, Pearce had thrown almost 300 innings. They promptly shut him down for the winter, and he showed no ill effects last year. Pearce is a strong, workmanlike, competitive pitcher whose best pitch is a hard breaking ball that has been called both a curve and a slider. His fastball is on the high side of average and has good sink. As he has shown so far, he's durable. To be effective at higher levels, Pearce needs to improve his changeup. He would get hit a lot less with an effective third pitch and improved command in the strike zone. Huge workloads at an early age are always worrisome. Pearce is moving at a good rate, jumping to Double-A in his first full season. He may return there to start 2001. If his changeup improves, he'll be an innings-eater in a rotation. If not, he'll take his two good pitches to the bullpen.