Angels trade prospect Jacob Pearson to Twins for international bonus money

On Wednesday the Los Angeles Angels traded outfield prospect Jacob Pearson to the Minnesota Twins for international bonus pool slots worth $1,000,000. Who do the Twins get for their money? Let’s take a quick look.

Jacob Pearson, OF: A high school outfielder from West Monroe, Louisiana, Pearson was drafted in the third round this past June, 85th overall. The slot bonus for that pick was $656,300, but the Angels went over slot at $1,000,000 to keep him from attending college at Louisiana State University. Many teams rated Pearson as a mid-second round talent so the Angels did not overpay for him considering the signability concern.

Pearson’s pro debut was mediocre: he hit .226/.302/.284 with zero homers, 15 walks, and 37 strikeouts in 155 at-bats in the Arizona Rookie League. This was disappointing since he was supposed to be one of the best bats in the high school class, but given his age it is too soon to draw any conclusions other than he has some work to do. He still has plenty of time left on the development clock.

Listed at 6-1, 185, Pearson is a left-handed hitter and right-handed thrower born June 1, 1998. His weakest physical tool is his throwing arm, which is bad enough to keep him out of right field. The good news is that he has above-average running speed and more raw power than he showed in rookie ball. His work ethic and makeup draw very positive reviews.