4 Chicago Cubs players who surprisingly earned a roster spot in 2025

Nate Pearson has figured some things out since coming to Chicago

When the Cubs swung a deal for former top prospect Nate Pearson, it was a move made with 2025 and beyond in mind. The stuff has always been there for the hard-throwing righty, but he had never been able to translate that into success in Toronto.

But since coming to Chicago, that's changed. He's dramatically slashed his walk rate (3.8 BB/9 this year pre-trade, 0.9 BB/9 post) and it's made all the difference in the world. The Cubs altered how he deploys his arsenal, especially to lefties, and he's found the success that evaded him for years with the Blue Jays.

He's by no means a finished product, despite a stellar 2.57 ERA and 0.714 WHIP with Chicago. Pearson still gives up a ton of hard contact and he'll need to limit that moving forward if he's going to find that long-term success. A full offseason working with pitching coach Tommy Hottovy and the Cubs pitching staff could make all the difference in the world for a guy who, just months ago, looked like little more than a roll-of-the-dice trade deadline pickup.